Buying an existing online business is great in theory, but what is the experience actually like in reality?In this week's episode, we chat with Landon Greenhalgh, an entrepreneur who recently took the plunge and acquired his first eCommerce business.Landon walks us through his eCommerce journey so far, from tracking down the ideal business and doing his due diligence to identifying and pouncing on post-acquisition growth opportunities.  Landon sheds light on common pitfalls that often catch first-time buyers off guard, such as fixating on the 'perfect' opportunity or overlooking the value of existing employees. According to Landon, “You can make or break an acquisition by how you treat the [existing] employees. If you come in with a ‘my way or the highway’ type mentality, it can ruin a lot of what made that company great. Humility, and recognizing that the employees probably know way more about the company than you do, is a very important aspect of an acquisition.” The journey from acquiring an existing business to turning it into a thriving brand isn't just for the Bransons and Musks of the world. As Landon's story shows, everyday people like him – and like you – can achieve remarkable success in the online business arena by simply purchasing a scalable business.  Topics Discussed in This Episode: Landon shares his background and entrepreneurial journey (01:42) Why Landon decided to purchase an existing eCommerce business (03:09) Landon’s due diligence tips for first-time buyers (09:29)  Alerting existing employees about the acquisition (15:37) How Landon has capitalized on growth opportunities in his acquisition (19:39) Landon explains how his high-ticket business model works (22:32) The top strategies that have helped Landon grow his brand (24:15) Time management and avoiding burning out (30:18) Landon’s supply chain and forecasting demand (32:15) Landon’s take on the future of eCommerce (36:28) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Landon’s LinkedIn page Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn what it takes to buy and scale an existing eCommerce business.  

Unlocking success on Facebook goes beyond the simple act of launching an ad campaign and hoping for sales to flood in. It’s an art. A magic that only a few Facebook advertising wizards know how to truly unlock.Vincent Nguyen is one of those wizards. As the founder of Growth Ninja, Vincent manages a solo-run, multi-six-figure Facebook ads agency. He works his magic on a carefully selected group of clients, having breathed life back into three seemingly doomed multi-million dollar ad campaigns in just the past few months alone. In this episode, Vincent joins us to reveal the secrets to crafting Facebook ads that can catapult your business to new heights. He shares some interesting case studies from his client, busts common advertising myths, and breaks down the anatomy of a successful Facebook advertising campaign. He also explains the rookie mistakes that many people make when setting up their campaigns. According to Vincent, “Step one when setting up your Facebook ads is to set up some sort of attribution system because Facebook ads reporting is not very accurate. If you can't trust your data, then you shouldn't spend money at all. That's just throwing money away and you're going to scale things that shouldn't be scaled.” If transforming your Facebook ads from average to utterly ad-dictive is your goal, then every moment of this episode is a must-listen! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Vincent's background and how he grew his own Facebook Ad agency (01:56) How Vincent successfully revived and scaled a million-dollar ad campaign (07:17)  The anatomy of a high-converting sales page (13:55) Why Vincent is selective about his clients as a solopreneur (17:32) Vincent’s go-to formula for ad campaign success (29:30) Adding the right images, copy, and create elements to ad campaigns (35:38) Common Facebook Ad myths that people still fall for (45:11) Vincent’s winning bidding strategies (56:01) Why this metric is the most important measurement of your success  (57:42) Vincent’s predictions for the future of Facebook advertising (1:05:33) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Growth Ninja Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create Facebook ads that actually convert!

2023 was a whirlwind year for Amazon FBA industry as the ripple effects of the 2020-2021 bubble bursting were felt by sellers and consumers alike.Perhaps the largest of these ripple effects was the demise of the Amazon FBA aggregators whose rampant spending and operational shortcomings finally caught up with them.  In this week’s episode, Amazon expert Mina Elias is back to help us unpack the rollercoaster of changes, surprises, and hurdles faced by Amazon FBA sellers throughout 2023. Mina provides a snapshot of the current state of the Amazon FBA industry before walking us through the chain of events that led to the downfall of industry giants like the aggregators.Then, Mina puts his Amazon advertising knowledge on display, revealing the top advertising and brand-building strategies of 2023, as well as tips on how to stand out in the crowded Amazon marketplace as a new seller.Mina also reveals some juicy information about how Amazon is making gathering customer data that much easier for sellers. This episode is jam-packed with all the information you need to elevate your FBA business in 2024! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A quick overview of Mina’s entrepreneurial journey (02:24) A look into Mina’s recent first-ever business exit (03:35) A snapshot of the FBA industry today vs the 202-2021 bubble (05:51) What caused the demise of the FBA aggregators (12:14) Clever new advertising strategies Mina has spotted in the last year (25:00) Gathering customer data as an FBA seller (31:21) How to stand out in the crowded Amazon marketplace as a new seller (36:59) Mina’s predictions on the future of the FBA industry (45:00) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Trivium Group Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to ramp up your Amazon FBA business in 2024!

We're back with a brand new episode! ________________________________________ Nothing is certain except death and taxes.As a business owner, taxes are a double whammy—they affect both your personal and business life. Imagine working hard to build a business that’s set to change your life when you sell it, only to watch taxes eat away at your profits. Thankfully, there are savvy tricks entrepreneurs can use to shrink taxes and pump up profits when selling their businesses. That’s where Crystal Stranger comes in. Crystal is the Partner & COO of Cleer Tax, a company that helps US businesses and entrepreneurs navigate their taxes.  In this episode, Crystal joins us to discuss the various strategies entrepreneurs can use to reduce the amount of tax incurred when building and selling their online business.  She unpacks the most common types of taxes that businesses encounter and how to structure your business to cut down on the taxes you have to pay. Crystal also exposes the big tax blunders many business owners make—like skipping tax filings or setting up shop in high-tax states. According to Crystal, “A big mistake I see entrepreneurs make is using state addresses for vanity reasons, like having a California or New York address to make their business look established or cool. Some entrepreneurs also sign up for mailing addresses without specifying the location. Putting these addresses on your website, invoices or communications can create large tax liabilities in those states.” We also dissect the differences between an asset sale and a stock sale, with Crystal explaining how a stock sale can save non-US business owners massive amounts of money! You might not dodge taxes completely, but armed with the insights from this episode, you can certainly trim your tax bill and safeguard your hard-earned profits! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Crystal’s background and how she ended up helping entrepreneurs with tax (02:23) The most common types of taxes that businesses encounter (06:08) The differences between LLC and C corp (09:45) Structuring your exit as an e-commerce business owner (12:23) How the Nexus tax system works for sales tax (19:26) The common tax mistakes entrepreneurs make when selling their business (31:09) Stock sale vs asset purchase (36:14) The best way to use the proceeds of your sale to grow another business (45:49) How tax applies to Hold Co businesses (51:14) How sellers can make their business more attractive from a tax perspective (54:46) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Cleer Tax Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to reduce your tax liability and maximize your profits!

How do you integrate your business into consumers’ lives and have your products playing on their minds, even when they’re not online? Today’s guest believes Pinterest is the key to deepening customer engagement. In this episode, we talk to Kate Ahl, the founder of Simple Pin Media, a marketing agency that creates personalized Pinterest marketing strategies for online businesses. Kate also created the Simple Pin Podcast, a popular Pinterest-focused podcast that boasts over a million downloads. Kate has a unique take on Pinterest, believing that it doesn’t fit in with the likes of Instagram and Facebook. She has often stated: “Pinterest is very much like Google. It is not a social media platform, it is a search and discovery network.” In this interview, Kate elaborates on this concept and explains how patience is a virtue when marketing on this unique platform – which can pay off handsomely. We also dig into what makes Pinterest users tick and how entrepreneurs can leverage Pinterest to grow their traffic and boost their brand awareness.  Kate walks us through how the pinning platform has changed over the years and the new trends that are shaping the Pinterest landscape. Taking these factors into account, Kate discusses the biggest challenges businesses face when using Pinterest and how to go about setting up a successful Pinterest marketing strategy for years to come. If you feel like your Pinterest marketing is lacking that extra oomph, you don’t want to miss out on this episode! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Kate got started on Pinterest and the birth of Simple Pin Media (02:04) Why Pinterest is a search and discovery network, not a social media platform (07:52) How Pinterest can supplement your SEO to bring in floods of traffic to your site (09:19) How the Pinterest ecosystem has evolved over the years (14:18) What it takes to be successful and the trends driving Pinterest today (17:27) The Pinterest Verified Merchant Program and buying intent on Pinterest (21:58) Is Pinterest the right platform for Amazon sellers? (29:03) The steps to starting a successful Pinterest marketing strategy (35:46) Kate’s biggest success story growing client’s businesses through Pinterest (44:12) The biggest challenges that businesses encounter when using Pinterest (47:03) How Kate built her Simple Pin Media team by training women in her community (51:25) What Kate’s podcast has shown her about the power of the Pinterest community (54:18) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Simple Pin Media Canva Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a Pinterest marketing strategy that will shine a spotlight on your business!

In order to be successful, eCommerce sellers need to have the ability to be flexible and pivot to meet new trends head-on.  In this episode, Kasey Luck explains how Shopify merchants can take advantage of the hype surrounding NFTs by minting and selling them through their Shopify stores. Kasey is the founder of Luck & Co, an agency that specializes in increasing eCommerce conversion and retention rates through SMS and email marketing. She also has a YouTube channel, where she teaches valuable industry advice, helping eCommerce sellers to boost their sales.  Kasey walks us through the various use-cases for NFTs in eCommerce, the risks and rewards of branching out into NFTs, and how the crossover between eCommerce and blockchain will affect the industry in the coming years.  We also discuss what drew Kasey to the eCommerce industry, and her passion for email and SMS marketing. She explains the power that these marketing channels can provide to business owners, and reveals the most common marketing mistakes she sees sellers make. According to Kasey, “When you start a new brand, the first thing that you should be thinking about and setting up is your traffic. If you don’t have traffic, you don’t have anything else. It’s too soon to be focusing on things like email and SMS marketing if you don’t have any idea how you’re going to drive traffic to your site.” If you’re ready to step into the future of eCommerce and learn more about NFTs and the metaverse, then this is a conversation you don’t want to miss out on! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Kasey walks us through her entrepreneurial journey so far (03:28) Why Kasey decided to start her own marketing agency (06:30) Why working in the eCommerce industry really resonates with Kasey (09:26) The common marketing mistakes that trip eCommerce sellers up (13:36) Kasey explains what exactly an NFT is(18:51) How NFTs are crossing over into the eCommerce world (23:45) The fundamentals Shopify owners should have in place before launching NFTs (29:15) The biggest risks associated with selling NFTs on Shopify (32:01) The advantages available to sellers who get into the NFT game early on (33:37) The changes Kasey predicts in the eCommerce industry over the next few years (34:39) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Luck & Co ReallyGoodEmails.com Mailed.com Mailcharts.com Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to take your eCommerce business to the next level by minting and selling  NFTs through your Shopify store.

In today’s world, almost everyone uses email. But many entrepreneurs still underestimate the power of email marketing and its ability to establish a meaningful connection with your customers.  This week’s guest is Greg Zakowicz, a veteran email marketer and the Sr. eCommerce Expert at Omnisend, an eCommerce marketing automation platform. With 15 years of experience under his belt, Greg has witnessed firsthand the transformative power that email marketing can have on eCommerce businesses. According to Greg,  “If you sell something online, you should probably be sending marketing emails. Otherwise, you’re leaving money on the table.” In this episode, Greg discusses how email has evolved over time and how to set up a successful, automated email marketing strategy. He explains how to use email marketing in each step of the buyer journey and how it can plug the holes that social media marketing can’t fill.  He also walks us through how to breathe life back into a dormant email list and some of the common email marketing pitfalls that trip up eCommerce business owners.  If your list of email subscribers is simply gathering dust, you don’t want to miss out on Greg’s valuable insights! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Greg got his start in the world of email marketing (01:16) How email marketing has evolved over time and why it remains relevant (06:49) Why email marketing is an essential tool for e-commerce businesses (14:39) The foundations of setting up a successful email marketing strategy (21:16) How to revitalize a dormant email list and reestablish a meaningful connection with existing subscribers (27:14) The common email marketing pain points that entrepreneurs encounter (34:21) What email marketing success looks like, and who is getting it right (40:58) How SMS can work hand-in-hand with email marketing (45:20) Pro tips for utilizing automations in your email marketing (51:38) Insight into any upcoming email and SMS automation trends (56:52) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Onmisend Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to leverage the power of email marketing!

How important is SEO to your business? Great SEO is a primary factor in many online businesses’ success. But approaching it for the first time can feel like a minefield. Between out-of-date information and seemingly constant changes to Google’s algorithm, you may think SEO is an impossible game to win. But Kyle Roof knows it’s far from that. In fact, the SEO guru has obtained a US patent proving exactly how you can manipulate SEO to rank on search engines. Kyle is the lead SEO at High Voltage SEO, Founder of PageOptimizer Pro, Co-founder & SEO Instructor at Internet Marketing Gold (IMG), speaker, trainer, and all-around hub of SEO knowledge. He joined The Opportunity Podcast to dispel some of the common myths and misconceptions about SEO practices and the Google algorithm, and reveals what site owners should be doing to improve their SEO and outperform their competition. Topics Discussed in this episode: The biggest SEO misconceptions and mistakes to avoid How to get started with SEO How to get your site to rank What to do when there’s a search engine algorithm update and how to protect your site against it Kyle’s advice for more advanced SEO practitioners Why testing is key to developing your SEO skills What the future of SEO looks like Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace High Voltage SEO PageOptimizer Pro Internet Margeting Gold (IMG) Ahrefs Moz Discover more SEO insights and find out how to apply them to your site by listening to the full interview with Kyle.

What if I told you that there’s a secret ingredient that can help you sell almost any business (yes, even the declining ones) in a fraction of the time?  I’m not referring to huge discounts or expert-level negotiation tactics. I’m talking about the often underestimated element of trust.  Doron Wolffberg, SEO expert and co-founder of Cliverse, has built and sold many content sites and has made buyer-seller trust the central focus of deals.  In this week’s episode, Doron shares how transparency and trust helped him sell a content site at a full listing price to a first-time buyer in just one day! He explains how this tactic not only preserves your reputation as a seller but also equips the buyer with the necessary information to take your business to the next level. Doron also dives into the key focus areas for building a successful content site and reveals how to prepare your site for a speedy and profitable sale. According to Doron, “Before you sell your site, make sure that you fix any faults from a technical standpoint. When buyers look at your site, they look at things like page speed. So even though it’s not a huge ranking factor, if buyers see your site has a low score, it might turn them down a bit.” If you’re looking for ways to scale your content site or tips on how to market your site to sellers, this is the episode for you! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Doron got his start in the online business world (01:58) Doron breaks down the sites in his portfolio and his current projects (03:11) The benefits of being in the content site industry (04:12) Details about the business Doron recently sold on Empire Flippers (06:08)  The importance of seller transparency during an acquisition (11:54) How to market a flawed business fairly (16:09) A common factor that buyers neglect to think of during the sales process (19:22) Why quality should be the core focus for content site owners in 2022 (22:03) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Cliverse Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to set your content site up for a profitable, and fair, sale.

Spotting a promising acquisition is just the beginning. Figuring out how to make that acquisition thrive is a whole new challenge.  Dom Wells has cracked the code for both. Dom is the founder of Onfolio, a company that specializes in buying and nurturing profitable online businesses. Since Dom's last appearance on the podcast in October 2022, shortly after Onfolio went public, the company's revenue has surged from $1.2 million to nearly $6 million. In this episode, Dom returns to discuss how his acquisition strategy has evolved. He's shifted away from content sites and instead focused on acquiring agencies, WordPress plugins, and digital courses.  Why the change? Content sites are excellent traffic assets, great for cultivating audiences and communities, but they come with a notable drawback—the vulnerability to AI and algorithm shake-ups.  To mitigate this risk, Dom advises content site owners to pivot beyond SEO and affiliate revenue. They should explore innovative ways to build their audience and convert it into a thriving community or media brand. One effective approach is to channel traffic toward additional revenue streams like newsletters, digital courses, or eCommerce stores. Dom also walks us through how he goes about acquiring businesses, from the characteristics he looks for in a business to his preferred deal structure and how he sources CEOs to run those businesses.  Finally, Dom shares his insights on current market conditions for sellers.  He believes the market is unlikely to return to the high valuations of 2020/2021 any time soon. Therefore, entrepreneurs who have a large chunk of their net worth invested in their businesses are shouldering enormous risk by delaying selling their businesses in the hopes of waiting out the market.  Don't miss this episode packed with valuable insights into the world of acquisitions and the evolving landscape of online business! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A brief breakdown of Onfolio's business model and history  (02:26) The characteristics Dom looks for when acquiring businesses (05:05) Mitigating the risks of running a content site through diversification (08:37) The benefits of buying an agency (17:00) The metrics Dom looks at when valuing an agency (22:45) How Dom sources quality CEOs to run his businesses (29:13)  Dom’s approach to CEO onboarding (37:20) The characteristics of a good CEO (41:00) Dom’s ideal deal structure when acquiring businesses (45:34) Dom shares his outlook on the current sellers' market (47:53) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Dom’s previous Opportunity podcast interview Onfolio Dom’s X (Twitter) Greg Eisenberg's  X (Twitter) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how an acquisition pro approaches growing his portfolio!

Sometimes, our talents are immediately recognizable. Other times, we accidentally stumble across things we end up being incredibly good at. This is what happened to James Dooley. Initially, he worked as a project manager, seeking a reliable way to generate leads for the business he was part of. He had a website created for that business and stumbled upon the world of SEO. What followed was a whirlwind of success. Today, James boasts a staggering portfolio of over 800 clients in more than 650 diverse industries, making him a prominent figure in the rank and rent industry. He's taken things a step further by investing in many of the businesses he provides leads to. In this episode, James joins us to reveal the secrets to his success. He discusses the importance of testing and research when it comes to SEO and ranking, and the crucial role his team has played in the growth of his business. James explains, “The best investment I’ve made is in the people that work with me. Forget the content, the backlinks, the websites, the businesses we work for. If you get good quality people around you, you encourage them and give them enough space to let them grow and do their own thing, they will do everything for you.” James offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse into how he builds trust with clients and leverages directories to attract leads. He also debunks common SEO myths and errors while unveiling the SEO strategies he believes yield the best results. According to James,  “Parasite SEO is great for getting instant wins. Quickly build a site on a high DR domain, and hit it with a couple of tier-two backlinks. At present, that's the best way of generating quick traffic.” If you’re thinking of getting into the rank and rent or lead generation game, or simply aiming to supercharge your existing business, this is one conversation you don’t want to miss! Topics Discussed in This Episode: James briefly touches on how he has elevated the rank and rent model (04:06) A look at James’ background and how he got into the world of SEO (06:03) The importance of R&D and how James’s team is structured (12:12) James debunks common SEO myths and mistakes (15:02) How James acquires and maintains clients for his rank and rent business (20:24) James explains how he uses directories to attract leads (29:00) Building trust in a pay-per-performance business model (37:18) Why James decided to invest in many of the businesses he works with (43:46) How James attracts and retains talented employees (49:16) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  James Dooley.com Screaming Frog MarketMuse Surfer SEO AutoBlogging Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to take your rank and rent business to a whole new level!

What is the secret to creating the fastest-growing startup in Canada before the age of 24? For Blair Forrest, the answer lay in identifying the nexus between a common pain point for FBA business owners, and an untapped gap in the logistics market.  While Amazon helps out by delivering products to consumers, the onus is on the seller to receive, store, label, and transport the inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers. It was here that Blair identified an opportunity. Blair is the founder of AMZ Prep, an end-to-end fulfillment solution for Amazon FBA sellers. AMZ Prep stores, preps, packs, and ships inventory to Amazon on behalf of sellers, saving them precious time and resources.   In this episode, Blair joins us to discuss the common logistical pitfalls that FBA sellers experience and outlines the various ways FBA sellers can optimize their logistics. According to Blair, “A lot of businesses have a fragmented approach to logistics, which is often why they don’t get the valuation that they want, or why they’re not able to scale. What turns a good seller into a great seller is optimizing their fulfillment with a solid partner that has multiple warehouses, and can expand you to other marketplaces like Shopify and Walmart.”  Blair also shares insights into how he juggled starting and scaling a business while being a full-time student, and the various lessons he has learned along the way.  If you want to learn how to structure your logistics and inventory management like an FBA all-star, then this is the episode for you! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Blair walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (03:55) How Blair juggled running a business and being a full-time student (14:30) The gap in the market that inspired Blair to create AMZ Prep (18:28) Some common pain-points Amazon Sellers are experiencing today (22:17) How to streamline your Amazon logistics (29:16)  The common mistakes FBA sellers make when it comes to logistics (36:50) The secret to Blair’s success (46:20) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace AMZ Prep Notion Minimalist journaling article Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a logistics strategy that will set you up for future success. 

Sometimes, it’s an entrepreneur’s ability to neutralize their weaknesses that paves the way to their success. By prioritizing important tasks and removing themselves from activities they aren’t skilled at or simply don’t like, entrepreneurs can focus their talents on areas of their business where they can make a measured difference.  Implementing systems like these helped Lauren Tickner turn her side hustle as a fitness coach into a 7-figure online business by the age of 21.  But Lauren didn’t stop there. She realized that the systems she used to grow her fitness coaching business could be applied to all industries.  This revelation inspired her to create Impact School, a 7-figure coaching company that helps digital entrepreneurs implement systems that allow them to free up valuable time and scale their businesses to new heights.  In this episode, Lauren joins us to discuss the advantages of systematization, the steps business owners should take to systematize their business, and how implementing systems has helped her own business thrive. According to Lauren, “As a business owner, you have to fill your weaknesses. I became so systems oriented through my own lack of organization. A big lesson for me was hiring someone who was my opposite, who could ensure that those systems were set up. But only by being honest about my weaknesses was I able to find the right person.” Lauren also sheds some light on the bad industry advice that entrepreneurs should avoid, how she diversifies her income streams without succumbing to shiny object syndrome, and some of the biggest challenges she faced when building and scaling Impact School. Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Lauren helps people detach their personal brand from their business (05:06) Lauren walks us through her origin story as an entrepreneur (07:55) Hiring people who compliment your weaknesses (13:48) How systemization can benefit entrepreneurs (15:10) The right time to implement systemization in your business’s lifecycle (18:03) The V.I.L.E. system Lauren uses to prioritize tasks (24:33) The bad advice Lauren has heard floating around the industry (29:41) How Lauren plans to diversify her income streams moving forward (39:35) How Lauren avoids shiny object syndrome when acquiring businesses (44:05) Why Lauren decided to exclude investors from her own business (50:35) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Impact School Notion Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how systems can help you scale your business without losing your freedom.

While every business faces its own unique challenges, many early-stage SaaS startups share common characteristics that can dictate their success or downfall. Figuring out what makes these startups thrive and what causes them to crumble requires years of expertise and industry knowledge. Having invested in and worked with over 450 pre-seed & seed stage SaaS startups, Marvin Liao has certainly earned his stripes when it comes to identifying and nurturing profitable and sustainable SaaS businesses. In this episode, Marvin joins us to discuss everything early-stage SaaS founders should be doing. He provides actionable tips and advice including focusing on a narrowed-down, niche audience, remembering to listen to your gut instead of relying solely on data, and waiting until your business is more established before raising growth capital. According to Marvin,  “I’ve found that, in general, bootstrap founders are better at running businesses. Money can be a crutch. You figure out business basics faster when you don’t have a lot of money. It forces you to not waste time. So, bootstrap first, and then once you’ve gained traction and have a better sense of what you’re building and who you’re targeting – that’s the time to raise funding.” Marvin also touches on the common mistakes that SaaS founders make, like modeling themselves after industry giants, spreading their focus too thin instead of doubling down on what works, and undercharging for their software while it’s still a work in progress.  If your SaaS business is still in its infancy, then you can’t afford to miss out on Marvin’s expert insights to help your business reach its full potential. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why startups shouldn’t model themselves after business giants (02:00) Marvin explains why he’s the Forest Gump of Silicon Valley (15:04) Why early-stage SaaS founders should focus on bootstrapping instead of VC funding (20:55) How to balance data-driven decisions with creative “gut-driven” decisions (28:58)  What SaaS founders get wrong when pricing their products (31:26) The benefits of focusing on a narrow, niche audience as a startup (35:34) The common mistakes SaaS founders make when trying to scale (38:54) The criteria Marvin looks at when investing in a business (40:20) It’s easier than ever to create a successful SaaS startup (45:37) The best professional advice Marvin has ever been given or heard (50:38) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  The Hard Fork by Marvin Liao The Next Big Blue-Collar Job Is Coding Conversion Crimes Wayback Machine Justine Musk’s Quora post Sit back, grab a coffee, and listen in as we pick the brain of an early-stage SaaS expert!

Considering Google was created only 25 years ago, finding someone who has been working in the online marketing and affiliate industry for almost 18 years is rare. All the way back in 2005, Matt McWilliams created an affiliate program in a last-ditch effort to earn money for his business that was nearing bankruptcy. The affiliate program took off, growing from zero to more than $1,000,000 a month in only 18 months. Matt hasn’t looked back since.In this episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to run an affiliate program.  We dive into Matt’s war stories from years in the industry, the foundations of a good affiliate program, and why Matt has chosen to stay in the affiliate world for so many years. Matt explains,  “The thing I love about affiliate marketing is it's relatively risk-free because you don't pay affiliates until you make money. Whereas you have to pay Facebook before you make any money from your Facebook ads.” Matt also sets the story straight on the difficulties of creating an affiliate program, explaining that it takes time to build up a steady flow of revenue and that attracting the right breed of affiliate partners can be a trial-and-error process. If you’re thinking of joining the affiliate industry, then don’t miss out on this peek behind the curtain from an affiliate program veteran. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Matt’s background and how he got involved in the affiliate industry (02:52) The importance of having a good relationship with your affiliate partners (10:55) The type of affiliates Matt has served (23:03)  The 3-5 core elements a beginner should focus on when building their affiliate site  (28:08) AI in affiliate marketing (30:29) Should every business have an affiliate program? (37:33) How to set up an affiliate program for a small business (38:05) Matt’s funniest moment in internet marketing (53:15) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  MattMcwilliams.com/empire  Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell Sit back, grab a coffee, and get a behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of the affiliate program industry!

There’s a lot on the line when you buy a business, so you want to make sure you buy a business that is primed for success.  An important lesson you need to learn as a buyer is that you can’t take businesses at face value. There’s a lot going on below the surface that you need to uncover. That’s where due diligence comes in.  Few people know more about the due diligence process than Elliott Holland. Elliott is the Co-Founder and CEO of Guardian Due Diligence, a diligence solution for first-time buyers and self-funded searchers. In this episode, Elliott takes us on a deep dive into the due diligence process.  He highlights red flags buyers should look out for, the common mistakes buyers make, and he breaks down the due diligence process, step by step. According to Elliott, “There are four main buckets of due diligence in online business. Financial, Operational, Commercial, and Online metrics. In online business, 70 to 80% of due diligence is focused on financials. Financials are created through the operations of a business, and so they are a great way to really understand the story of the business.” Elliot also shared his top due diligence war stories and the lessons buyers can learn from them.If you’re in the market to buy an online business, this episode is jam-packed with useful information that could make or break your acquisition! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Elliott's background and how he became involved in business acquisitions (02:22) What is Quality of Earnings? (14:13) The best time to hire a due diligence service (21:50) The different areas of due diligence (23:09) What Elliott looks at when examining a business’s financials (25:37) How Elliott examines a business’s operations (32:19) The classic due diligence mistake experienced entrepreneurs make (41:54) Top due diligence questions buyers should ask (44:50) Elliott's favorite due diligence war stories (53:16) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Guardian Due Diligence 10 best practices doc War Stories hub Elliott’s Twitter Elliott’s YouTube channel Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how the due diligence process really works!

Sometimes, consumers need a little nudge to convince them to add your product to their checkout cart.  You could try using discounts and promotions to lure consumers in, but these techniques aren’t always sustainable and can eat into your bottom line. So what strategies can you use instead? Nancy Harhut believes the answer lies in neuromarketing. Nancy is the Co-Founder and CCO of HBT Marketing, an agency that blends creativity with behavioral science to drive consumer engagement. Through many years of research, Nancy has learned that consumer behavior often isn’t rational. Instead, people are driven by hard-wired, instinctive and emotional responses. By tapping into behavioral science techniques, entrepreneurs can trigger these instinctive responses to boost conversions.  In this episode, Nancy joins us to explain the science behind consumer decision-making and walks us through how to use concepts like the authority principle, social proof, and loss aversion to increase purchase intent. According to Nancy,  “Behavioral scientists have found that people are twice as motivated to avoid the pain of loss as they are to achieve the pleasure of gain. So as a marketer, you should inject a little well-placed loss aversion. Instead of saying “Take advantage of”, try saying “Don’t miss out on”. That’s what people really pay attention to because people hate to lose out.” Don’t risk missing out on any more sales! Use Nancy’s expert advice to gain an advantage over your competitors and stand out from the crowd. (See what we did there?) Topics Discussed in This Episode: Nancy’s entrepreneurial background and the origins of HBT Marketing (03:45) Neuromarketing and behavioral science and how it applies to marketing (08:43) The topics Nancy’s book covers and how it can help marketers (15:40) How Nancy created a 13% increase in purchase intent for one of her clients (17:41) Top techniques to trigger emotional responses in your customers (20:54) How different demographics respond to neuromarketing techniques (31:17) Common mistakes people make when attempting to use neuromarketing (35:01)  Cringy marketing techniques you should avoid (37:47) What inspired Nancy to write her book Using Behavioural Science in Marketing (44:38) Changes and trends that have influenced marketing over the last few years (48:35) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  HBT Marketing Using Behavioural Science in Marketing by Nancy Harhut  The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to increase purchase intent through behavioral marketing.

This week we are revisiting an extra special episode of The Opportunity podcast.  In this episode, Greg looks back on a few of our most memorable interviews to review the top 7 lessons learned from the last 100 shows.  You’ll hear many familiar voices as some of our favorite entrepreneurs and industry experts share their top tips for building, running, and scaling successful online businesses. Greg acts as our guide, walking us through each lesson and sharing his own unique insights and pearls of wisdom. One of Greg’s top takeaways includes, “If you want to build wealth, don’t focus on making money today. Focus on making an experience that will create fans of yours for years to come. Because if you make enough of those fans you’re going to create a snowball effect that’ll carry you far into the future.” Join in the celebration by letting us know which episode or guest has been your favorite so far! Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family so that they can join us for the next 100 episodes where we’ll continue to uncover all of the hidden growth opportunities in the online business industry. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lesson 1: Creating a Machine of Leverage by Knowing the Value of Your Time (02:07) Lesson 2: Learning to Love Risk to Create Wealth (10:30) Lesson 3: Spending 9 Hours Sharpening the Axe, and One Hour Cutting Down the Tree (17:07) Lesson 4: Creating Value While Respecting Your Audience’s Time (26:33) Lesson 5: Communication and Thinking in Four Degrees of Impact (31:43) Lesson 6: Why the Best Marketing Isn’t a Tactic, It’s an Experience (39:45) Lesson 7: Persistence Through Adversarial Wins (44:23) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Jobs to be Done Framework Featured Guests: Kevin Espiritu (Ep #87) Matt Diggity (Ep #23) Sushee Nzeutem (Ep #59) John Hefter (Ep #19) Emma Shermer Tamir (Ep #49) Doron Wolffberg (Ep #41) Perrin Carrell (Ep #79) Alexis Grant (Ep #84) Chelsea Cohen (Ep #42) Fabricio Miranda (Ep #91) Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul (Ep #74) Nicole Baqcai (Ep #55) Ben Donovan (Ep #71) Bill Szabrak (Ep #6) Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a trip down memory lane as we discuss the valuable lessons learned from the past 100 episodes.

In an era where thinking outside the box is paramount, foreign SEO has emerged as a tantalizing strategy for affiliate marketers in search of new frontiers. While foreign affiliate industries are not as established as their English-language counterparts, competition is less fierce and Google algorithm updates are less frequent and hard-hitting.  Among the numerous gems in this treasure trove of opportunities, the Dutch affiliate market stands out for its unexplored potential. This is where Niels Zee, a seasoned SEO and affiliate marketer comes into play. Niels has not only navigated the complexities of affiliate marketing but has also mastered the Dutch affiliate market's distinctive characteristics.  In this episode, Niels shares his journey from inception to expertise. We dive into the differences between the US and Dutch affiliate markets, and Niels highlights how language and cultural nuances play a pivotal role in shaping strategies for success.  From monetization options for Dutch sites to the importance of backlinks in Dutch affiliate marketing, we explored the critical elements that set this market apart. Niels explains,  “The most important metric for the Dutch market is the amount of incoming links versus outgoing links. Some websites just link out to 10,000 websites and they only get 100 links in. That's not quality. And Google knows that. So really try to shy away from those sites if you’re looking to buy a Dutch affiliate site.” Moreover, Niels took us through his playbook for nurturing and expanding affiliate sites, sharing his secrets for sustainable growth. He also shares the secret sauce behind structuring acquisition deals that work like a charm as well as the pros and cons of building from scratch versus acquiring established affiliate sites. According to Niels, “I always prefer to buy a site over building one from scratch. There’s always a sandbox period where you create a domain and then for the next three to six months, nothing happens. That’s very frustrating. It's less risky to start with a domain that's already ranking and bringing in some traffic.” Listen to this episode to unlock the door to a new realm of possibilities in the world of affiliate marketing. Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Niels ended up in the affiliate and SEO world (03:16) Overcoming language barriers and the key differences in US vs Dutch affiliate markets (10:58) Monetization options for Dutch sites (14:24) Why backlinks are so important in the Dutch affiliate marketing (17:02) Niels’s advice to aspiring affiliates who want to get into the Dutch affiliate market (22:11) Niels's experience in building vs buying affiliate sites (24:58) How Niels structured his acquisition deals and what he looks for in a site (29:10) Niels playbook for growing his sites (35:21) How Niels uses AI in his workflow and his views on how it will affect the industry (39:45) The growth trends Niels has seen in the Dutch affiliate market (46:10) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to our weekly newsletter  Sign up for our referral program  Neils’s LinkedIn profile Bol.com affiliate program Sitedeals.nl Matt Diggity’s affiliate course  Authority Hacker courses Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to navigate the exciting world of Dutch affiliate marketing!

Many highly skilled SEOs and digital marketers use their expertise to build high-performing websites and other online assets.  Others recognize that their skill itself is an asset that they can leverage. So they create an agency, hiring out their SEO and PPC expertise to businesses in need. But building an agency is no walk in the park. How do you rise above the noise and claim your spot in this highly competitive arena? In this episode, we sit down with two entrepreneurs who’ve walked the talk—David Kauzlaric and Erich Schaefer, the minds behind Agency Elevation. This full-service, white-label agency offers a suite of digital solutions, including SEO, PPC, Facebook Ads, and TikTok Ads.  Join us as they pull back the curtain on their journey to agency success.Diving into their strategy, David and Erich unveil the blueprint of Agency Elevation's triumph. One standout element? Transparent pricing. While many agencies play the hidden-cost game, David and Erich defy the norm by showcasing their pricing upfront, fostering trust and transparency. With a 100% US-based team, Agency Elevation eliminates the hurdles of time zones and communication, ensuring swift turnarounds and effective collaboration.  They also walk us through the common characteristics that successful agencies share. The most important ingredient of success? Focusing on a specific niche. According to David and Erich, “Niche-focused agencies are the easiest to scale because you can get instant credibility with just good branding. All you need is a good offer, good branding, and experience or results in that industry. We see guys going from zero to multiple seven figures in three or four years because they're niche focused.“ So, whether you’re a budding entrepreneur with dreams of agency ownership or a seasoned player aiming to amplify your agency's performance, this episode holds the key. Enjoy! Topics Discussed in This Episode: David and Erich’s entrepreneurial journey and how they started their agency (02:09) Why Agency Elevation is 100% US based (05:02) How David and Erich manage to serve a high variety of niches and services (09:03) How the agency is structured in order to scale and stand out from the crowd (18:11) The service hierarchy that David and Erich recommend to their customers ( 22:22) Why David and Erich prioritize being transparent about their pricing (25:12) The common traits of successful agencies (33:24) The benefits of niching down vs building a general agency (37:18) David and Erich's approach to scaling sustainably (42:06) Top advice for agency owners who are looking to start and grow (46:55) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter Agency Elevation GoHighLevel David’s Facebook page Sit back, grab a coffee, and peek behind the curtain of a successful white-label agency!

With the content marketing industry constantly evolving, it’s easy to get caught up chasing the latest trends and forget about the basic principles that form a strong marketing foundation. This week’s guest, Philipp Schoeffmann, joins us to explain how to build on those basics to turbocharge your marketing. Philipp is a 20-year marketing veteran. He has not only lit up the stage as the charismatic host of the Affiliate Worlds conferences, but he is also the pioneer behind Reals, a service that repurposes your existing video content into engaging clips that boost your brand’s authority. Philipp sits down with Greg to explain why marketers need to avoid shiny object syndrome and instead focus on the core ingredients of marketing mastery.   Before you can expect to successfully market to your audience, you need to understand what drives them. What makes them tick? What keeps them up at night? Armed with this knowledge, you can create attractive offers and impactful content that really resonates with consumers and keeps them coming back for more. The good news is that creating powerful content doesn’t have to be a grueling process. With the right structure in place and a little help from AI, creating high-quality content at scale is easy as pie.  Another way to save time and money on content creation is to lean into the power of user-generated content. According to Philipp, “User-generated content is definitely the way to go. In general, you can expect your traffic to be maybe a fourth in terms of cost. CPMs are a lot lower. Engagement rates are four or five times higher. And you just build up a lot of trust. So user-generated content gets you better buyers at a cheaper cost.” If your marketing feels tired and lackluster, listen in to Philipp’s top-notch advice on how to create content that really packs a punch!As an added bonus, Phillip is offering our podcast listeners a 20% discount on his Reals service. Head over to the Reals website (linked below) to learn more! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Phillip walks us through his 20-year journey in online business (04:22)  How the marketing industry has changed over the last 20 years (09:30) How to create value in your marketing (12:59) Why content is still king in 2023 (19:30) How to structure your content so that it is not a time killer (26:29) The anatomy of what makes a good short video (36:18) How brands can encourage the creation of user-generated content(49:27) How Phillipp uses AI to create content (53:33) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter Reals $100M Offers: How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No by Alex Hormozi ElevenLabs Descript Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the secret to mastering content marketing in 2023 and beyond!

Shopify store owners have a whirlwind of responsibilities like managing supply chains, keeping tabs on inventory levels, and staying ahead in a competitive market.  It's no wonder that SEO often takes a backseat. In the race for quick results, many sellers lean towards paid advertising, but this week’s guest believes that SEO is the real game-changer that will set the stage for skyrocketing sales.Benjamin Golden is the founder of GoldenWeb, an SEO agency focused on scaling Shopify brands through SEO. In this episode, Benjamin explains that while paid ads might offer instant gratification, they are no match for the steady and sustainable stream of traffic that SEO can bring to your Shopify store. He walks us through the first steps to kickstart a thriving Shopify SEO strategy, the crucial role the backlinks play in eCommerce SEO, and how to strike the perfect balance between paid ads and organic traffic.Benjamin also shares his views on how AI will affect the eCommerce and SEO industries, explaining, “I think AI will affect every single business, but not in the way that people think. I like to compare it to the gold rush. It wasn’t everyone that was digging up and mining gold that got rich. It was the people selling the shovels.  The same thing will happen with AI. Everyone is rushing into building the next AI tool, and some of those businesses will succeed and do well, but that's going to get very saturated, very fast. The people that will really benefit from AI are the ones that learn how to properly integrate AI into their business.’ Finally, Benjamin explains the unique advantages of buying online businesses as an agency owner, using the resources, internal processes, and industry connections the agency has developed to fast-track growth. If you're an eCommerce store owner then listen up, because this episode is filled with actionable insights and expert tips that will supercharge your store's SEO and sales. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Benjamin’s background and how he became involved in SEO (03:08) Why Benjamin chose to focus on SEO specifically for Shopify stores (05:27) How eCommerce SEO differs from affiliate SEO (09:38) The first steps of a successful Shopify SEO strategy (14:47) The crucial role backlinks play in eCommerce SEO (20:17) How to allocate your marketing budget between paid ads and SEO (27:34) Common SEO mistakes that eCommerce store owners make (32:37)  Why Benjamin believes AI is like the gold rush (37:48) The reason Benjamin decided to diversify his income by buying a SaaS business (46:55) The benefits of buying online businesses as an agency owner (50:37) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter GoldenWeb Ahrefs Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to propel your Shopify store to unparalleled heights using the power of SEO!

The entrepreneurial journey is an adventure filled with twists and turns. It's normal to try different paths before discovering what brings out the best in you – be it the right niche, a lucrative business model, or a monetization strategy. Yet, the allure of rapid growth can tempt entrepreneurs to abandon their hard-earned lessons and happiness for the sake of expansion.  Aware of this common pitfall, Jesse Hanley has prioritized calm over growth when building his new business, Bento. Bento was born out of Jesse’s desire to learn how to code and to solve common problems he saw firsthand through his marketing agency. What began as analytics and ad tracking software soon morphed into an email automation platform as Jesse pulled threads, experimented, and refined his vision.  As the business grew, Jesse sold his agency so that he could devote all of his time and energy to Bento.  In this episode, we explore the organic growth of Bento and dive deeper into Jesse’s desire to keep his business small. Jesse explains the dangers of a growth-at-all-costs mentality and walks us through how he has structured Bento to remain small but powerful in a competitive niche.  Lastly, Jesse explains that his “keep it simple” philosophy also extends to email marketing. According to Jesse, “If you want to grow your business, send more emails. The people who make the most money are those who are sending emails every single day with simple, well-communicated offers. Just send more emails, run your ads, and keep it simple.” This episode goes beyond the usual business and marketing techniques, taking a closer look at the entrepreneurial mindset and how goals and ideologies shift over the course of your business journey.  This no holds barred, honest discussion is one for the books. Enjoy! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Jesse’s background and entrepreneurial journey so far (02:40) How the sale of Jesse’s agency spurred on the growth of Bento (03:17) Building a “calm” business that doesn’t chase growth at all costs (10:20) The origins of Bento and how it stands out from the crowd (21:09) How Jesse structured Bento’s pricing as the company grew (33:55) The marketing techniques Jesse uses to brow Bento’s brand awareness (43:17) Why Jesse wants to keep Bento small (45:17) How to get better at email marketing (57:14) Jesse’s advice to aspiring digital entrepreneurs (59:44) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter Bento Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the benefits of growing your business at a sustainable and steady pace.

Wouldn’t it be great to travel back 10 years into the past and take advantage of a younger SEO market with all the knowledge you have now? Well, as it turns out, Azedine Djedid has figured out how to do exactly that.  Azedine is an SEO expert who has built and grown more than 20 successful websites in Italian, French, and Spanish. According to Azedine,  “The non-English SEO market is 10 years behind the English market in many cases, so it's easier to get into and it's easier to rank for keywords or rank for topics, even when it comes to eCommerce.” In this episode, Azedine joins us to reveal the blueprints for success when it comes to creating a foreign language content strategy.  He explains how consumer habits differ in various parts of the world, and how to adapt your content strategy to suit these cultural differences. He also reveals the best emerging markets for foreign SEO, including Brazil, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia.  Azedine explains why he chooses to build many of his sites on expired domains, and why he focuses on strong branding and a high DR when shopping for these domains.  Azedine has also sold five of his foreign language sites so far and sheds light on the process of selling a non-English site and the benefits of using a broker to help you sell your online business. With the SEO market becoming more saturated and competitive by the day, foreign language sites present a unique opportunity to enter emerging SEO markets and take advantage of their future growth. If you’re searching for ways to get ahead in the world of SEO, then don’t miss a minute of this informative episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Azedine’s background and the opportunities in foreign SEO (02:16) Azedines advice for starting a site in a foreign language (08:50) How to maximize CTAs on a foreign language site (17:00) How different consumer habits impact monetization and strategy (21:02) The challenges of foreign SEO (25:07) The characteristics Azedine looks for in an aged domain (28:50) Where foreign audiences go to search for products to purchase (37:58) How to use AI to grow your foreign language site (40:25) The process of selling a foreign language site (46:40) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Azedine’s LinkedIn Ahrefs Awin Google Keyword Planner Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create high-performing content for foreign language websites!

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey. Many business owners feel like it's them against the world, and that they alone should have all the answers. But as the saying goes, “many hands make light work”, and partnerships are often an overlooked secret to success when it comes to growing your business. As promised Ace Chapman is back, and this time he joins us to discuss the many benefits of joint ventures. According to Ace, “Everything you want for your business, somebody else already has. They've got customers that you want, they have talent that you want, they have the technology, the income, whatever that thing is.  By structuring partnerships with those people or buying their business from them, you can gain access to the things you want without having to create them from scratch yourself.”   Ace shares how he has used joint ventures to reduce costs in his businesses. He explains how to identify and build relationships with valuable investors and partners, and how to establish trust when negotiating a partnership. We discuss how strategic alliances can help business owners buy and own important resources like traffic sources and audience data, instead of simply “renting” them from a third party.  Ace also gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what he has been up to in the private equity space and his goal of “investing like the wealthy.” Ace Chapman is a wizard when it comes to business acquisitions and strategic growth partnerships, so don’t miss a second of this insightful interview! Topics Discussed in This Episode: The hidden benefits of joint ventures (04:45) The differences between joint ventures and affiliate/ referral programs (15:20) How to establish trust in a joint venture (18:15) What Ace has been up to in the fundraising and private equity space (21:07) How Ace has structured his private equity fund (29:57) Ace walks us through an example of reducing costs through joint ventures (40:53) Ace’s advice to beginners who want to start their own private equity fund (43:15) The bigger the business the bigger the opportunity (46:09) The average hold length for the businesses in Ace’s fund (50:40) How to source investors for your own private equity fund (1:00:08) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account SoloConglomerate.com Predator’s Ball by Connie Bruck Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing by Dean Wesley Smith Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how joint ventures can accelerate your business growth!  

The keyboard is mightier than the sword.  AI-powered writing tools are making it easier than ever to create quality content at scale. Yet, with the market flooded by a deluge of AI-backed software, finding the perfect tool for your needs can be tough. Plus, once you discover a tool that suits your needs, mastering how to use it effectively is often a roadblock to success. It was while he was learning the ins and outs of one of these tools that Matt Zimmerman was inspired to create an AI writer of his own. Matt is the founder of ZimmWriter, a unique, AI-powered tool that allows you to harness the power of AI in thousands of applications and websites, whether it be WordPress, LinkedIn, or Google Docs.  In this episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to create an AI writer from scratch. He discusses the difficulties he ran into with backend prompting, and what separates ZimmWriter from all of the other tools on the market. Matt has built a strong community around ZimmWriter, and this open line of communication has shaped the tool's evolution. Through the community, he receives invaluable feedback about what his audience likes and dislikes, bugs they’ve spotted in the software, and suggestions about new features that they would like to see added to the tool. Matt also discusses the pros and cons of using AI writers and explains the best way to use AI to enhance your content creation. According to Matt, “AI is like a hammer. It’s just another tool in your toolbox. It can help you do your job faster, and you can do a lot of fine craftsmanship with it. But, like any other tool, you have to learn how to use it properly. You need the right training before you can expect good results.”  In a world where the keyboard reigns supreme, learning how to effectively leverage AI in your content creation is crucial, so don’t miss out on a second of this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Matt walks us through his background and the inspiration behind ZimmWriter (03:19) What sets ZimmWriter apart from other Ai writing tools (11:08)  How community feedback influenced the development of ZimmWriter (16:55) The difficulties of backend prompting for AI tools (19:58) How Matt is slowly growing his Zimmwriter team (28:34) Marketing ZimmWriter and growing a Facebook community (30:58) Matt’s plans for the future of ZimmWriter (34:07) The pros and cons of using AI writing tools (40:18) Matts's thoughts on AI replacing people’s jobs (48:29) The best way to incorporate ZimmWriter into your writing workflow (51:05) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account ZimmWriter Matt’s GetPrompted newsletter Sit back, grab a coffee, and peek behind the curtain to see what goes into creating an AI-powered writing tool!

As a rule of thumb, larger businesses tend to be more established, more stable, and come with better infrastructure than smaller businesses.  But they also cost more, creating a barrier to entry for entrepreneurs who are looking to make the most of the benefits of buying large businesses.  However, Roland Frasier discovered that the barrier can be overcome with some clever, creative financing.  Roland is a serial entrepreneur who is renowned for his unique approach to leveraged buyouts and no-money-down financing. In fact, he has created 226 creative financing strategies that buyers can use to purchase a business with little or no money down.  In this episode, Roland joins us to discuss the various levers buyers can pull to reduce the amount of cash they need to put into their acquisitions.  He starts off by breaking down the characteristics buyers should look for in a business, and the common mistakes that often trip buyers up. He then outlines a few of his no-money-down strategies, including seller financing, supplier financing, using the business’ credit card reserves, inventory consignment, asset-based lending, management financing, and many more.  He also explains the importance of setting up an SPV to protect your personal assets and credit when structuring these deals. Roland also reveals how to spot a good deal and the best way to approach negotiations. According to Roland, “The biggest thing people do wrong when negotiating is that they think of it as a win or lose. I like to think of it as a collaboration. We, the buyers, are collaborating to get you, the seller, the best price we can get you. Or at least as close to the price you want in a way that also works for me. So we're on the same team.” If you want to learn how to gain access to bigger business acquisitions without having to put more money down, then you’ve come to the right place! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Roland shares his background and entrepreneurial journey (02:34) How to identify a good business from a bad business (05:51) Remaining involved in a business that you’ve sold (11:43) The common mistakes people make when buying businesses (19:33) How representations and warranties are used in acquisitions ( 22:04) The strategies Roland uses for creative no-money-down deals (27:19) Why business owners shouldn’t be afraid to raise their prices (39:07) How Roland juggles all of the businesses he has acquired (41:32) Buying media business to gain more leads (43:35) Roland’s tips for being an effective negotiator (50:20) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Business Lunch with Roland Frasier Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to get creative with no-money-down financing!

The early bird catches the worm.  This is particularly true when it comes to investing. Early adopters often reap the biggest rewards. But if spotting a good investment before the business really takes off was that easy, everyone would do it.  You need to find a business with a first-mover advantage. One that operates in a blue ocean. A business that has already established proof of concept in the short time they've been operational. A business like WebStreet.  In this week’s episode, we are joined by Kyle Kuderewski, the Operations Manager at WebStreet.Kyle joins us to discuss Webstreet’s exciting new investment opportunity - the chance to invest directly into WebStreet itself and become an early adopter of a business at the forefront of an investing revolution.  Kyle breaks down the need-to-know terms of the investment, the benefits that investors can expect to receive, and how this opportunity differs from WebStreet’s normal investment rounds. According to Kyle, “The big difference between this and investing in a normal round is it's a growth play versus an income play. With the normal rounds, you receive income through quarterly cash distributions. With this new investment, you actually own an equity stake in Web Street as a company and benefit from the growth of the business. If you think about it,  you're owning a piece of all those other businesses we’re investing in” Kyle goes on to explain how WebStreet plans to spend the growth capital raised (growing their audience and adding all the bells and whistles to their platform). He also announces the introduction of WebStreet’s WeFunder campaign, an investment opportunity that allows non-accredited investors to get in on the action. If you want to be an early adopter instead of a bystander, listen to this episode to learn how you can take advantage of this rare investment opportunity! Topics Discussed in This Episode: An update on WebStreet’s progress since separating from Empire Flippers (03:34) The exciting new investment opportunities available through WebStreet (07:39) How WebStreet plans to use the growth capital raised (10:38) The investment terms for WebStreet’s direct investment round (11:36) A closer look at how WebStreet’s funds are operated (17:54) What a liquidity event would look like for one of the investment funds (25:43) WebStreet's WeFunder campaign- a non-accredited investor crowdfunding option (30:42) The types of people who are investing in WebStreet and its funds (33:07) The ripple effects that fractional investments may have on the industry (38:43) Trends Kyle has spotted in different monetizations throughout the industry (44:45) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account WebStreet WebStreet investor application form Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how you can own a piece of the upcoming investing revolution!

Building an affiliate site is a great way to earn money online. But if you really want to maximize your profits, you need to scale your business beyond affiliate revenue. In this week’s episode, we interview someone who has done just that and has built a thriving business around teaching others how to replicate his success. Gael Breton, the co-founder of Authority Hacker, joins us to share how he turned a simple educational website into the giant that is Authority Hacker today.He shares valuable tips on how to grow your affiliate site by branching out into different monetizations, adding profit maximizers to your offering, and using the right tone in your sales messaging. He reveals why business owners should avoid becoming the face of their brand and how he is earning back his time by training AI to manage his schedule. He also explains how to adjust your pricing as your business grows. According to Gael, “In terms of pricing, charge more than you think you could. Think about what you would charge and add 30% or 40% to that. You will make less sales, but you will probably make more profit and that's all that matters in the end. Building a loyal audience is really the key. They'll be willing to pay whatever the price is for what you're selling as long as you provide value.” Finally, Geal discusses the pros and cons of building websites on expired domains, before he and Greg debate AI’s impact on the future of SEO. Gael is a fountain of knowledge, so whether you are new to the affiliate marketing space, or you’re searching for ways to grow your existing affiliate business, this episode is exactly what you’ve been looking for! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Gael shares the background story behind Authority Hackers (03:00) The obstacles Gael faced while building the Authority Hacker courses (08:38) Why business owners should avoid becoming the face of their business(10:51) Gael's new experiment: training an AI to be his new VA to gain his time back (15:44) How Authority Hacker structured their course pricing as their business grew (19:34) The effectiveness of profit maximizers and to add them to your business (25:03) Using the right tone in your sales messaging (30:04) The future of Authority Hacker (34:35)  The core elements beginners should focus on when building their first affiliate site (38:30) Gael’s experience building sites on fresh domains vs expired domains (45:02) Gael’s view on the future of SEO (54:15) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Authority Hacker Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell BrandSnap.ai Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to expand your website beyond affiliate revenue!

Did you know there are over 31 million active bloggers in the United States alone? With the growing popularity of monetizing content sites, the SEO market is becoming increasingly saturated, making it harder to achieve success. However, outside the borders of the intense competition in English language SEO, there lies a treasure trove of opportunities in foreign markets. Enter Taylor Kimball, an SEO expert who has taken full advantage of this untapped potential. Taylor operates sites in both Thai and Portuguese - two languages that he does not speak.  In this episode, Taylor guides us through the process of operating foreign language sites. We dive into the differences in audience behavior, the accessibility of reliable affiliate and display advertising partners, and why Taylor thinks backlinks are less important in foreign language sites. Taylor shares the secret to successfully operating a site in a language you don't speak: assembling a stellar team to handle site operations and content production. According to Taylor, “In my experience, buying a foreign language site isn’t so much about the site itself, but rather the team behind it. You’ll need to find people who are fluent in that language and familiar with the culture. Foreign SEO is about partnerships with key people.” With this team structure in place, Taylor can concentrate on creating growth strategies. Speaking of strategies, Taylor reveals that non-English SEO often lags behind the English-speaking market, presenting SEO professionals with access to competitive niches and the opportunity to implement techniques that might not be effective in the English-speaking realm. There’s a whole world of SEO success just waiting to be tapped into! If you want to capitalize on this opportunity, then don’t miss a minute of this episode. It is jam-packed with useful tips and tricks that you can use to replicate Taylor's success in foreign language SEO. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Taylor’s background and how he ended up in foreign SEO (02:55) Why foreign SEO gives you access to often competitive niches (07:24) How Taylor finds operators for his foreign language sites (09:39) The differences in audience behavior on foreign language sites (13:59) Affiliate opportunities and conversions on foreign vs English languages sites (17:21) How Taylor uses AI to help him write his content (21:41) The importance of backlinks in foreign SEO and how Taylor constructs his backlink profile (25:219) Taylor's advice to anyone starting or buying their own foreign language site (31:21) How to analyze a foreign SEO site (35:49) The trends Taylor sees taking place in the foreign SEO market (42:50) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Koala Writer Julian Goldie video Zimmwriter Will Tribe Foreign SEO article Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to successfully operate a foreign language content site!

Private equity is a fast-paced game. You buy a business and often only have two to five years' worth of investor capital to improve the business before you need to sell it for a profit.  This doesn’t give you a lot of time to make meaningful improvements and often results in changes that destabilize the business long term. That’s why Brent Beshore decided to turn the concept of private equity on its head. Brent is the founder of Permanent Equity, a PE firm that invests in family-held businesses.  The twist? Brent has no intention of selling the businesses. Forget two to five years, he works with a 30-year time horizon. He also uses no debt in his acquisitions and takes zero fees or reimbursements. Instead, he splits the cash flow that the business earns, putting his firm, the investors, and the family that owns the business on equal footing.  This almost indefinite timeline, and the fact that he doesn't have a debt looming over his head, means Brent has the freedom to grow the businesses sustainably and with everyone’s best interests at heart.  In this episode, Brent joins us to share his unique take on private equity. He explains how he built his funds with longevity in mind, and why he steered away from the traditional private equity approach to debt. According to Brent, “Buying a business with debt means you have to sacrifice cash flow every month to repay that debt. That gives you less flexibility to reinvest back in the business. Less flexibility to grow. And when things get hard, which they will, it forces you to make decisions that are not in the long-term best interest of the company.” Brent also explains why he has chosen to be industry agnostic, focusing instead on “adolescent businesses” that offer lots of opportunities to make improvements. Finally, Brent shares advice on how entrepreneurs can replicate his success, explaining, “There's a lot of opportunity in the private equity space. But it's gonna be a lot of hard work and a lot of stress. You need to prepare yourself for that and give yourself enough lead time to be choosy. If you're starting from a dead stop, you should give yourself three years of runway full-time to find the right business, buy it, and start to operate it.” If you want to build a portfolio of business but are put off by the traditional private equity model, then Brent’s unconventional approach may be just what you are looking for! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Brent shares how he accidentally stumbled into business ownership (02:45) The obstacles Brent faced when acquiring his initial business (09:28) How buying that first business inspired Brent to grow his portfolio (12:13) The story behind Brent’s unique fund structure (15:22) The makeup of Brent’s business portfolio (20:10) How Brent calculates the value of a business (31:01) Brent’s due diligence process (33:51) Why Brent chooses to purchase businesses without debt (36:07) How Brent approaches growing a business after acquisition (39:59) How Brent structured his team to manage such a large portfolio of businesses (43:13) Brent’s advice on how entrepreneurs can replicate his success (48:31) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Permanent Equity The Messy Marketplace Brent’s Twitter Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to reap the benefits of private equity without the traditional constraints!  

Display advertising is a powerful monetization, but many website owners miss out on extra profits and growth by treating display ads as a “set and forget” addition to their site.Recognizing this untapped potential, Kean Graham created MonetizeMore, a platform that increases ad revenues by using auction technology to find the advertisers willing to pay the most for your ad placement. They also offer a suite of tools that helps publishers analyze their revenue stats and detect and block invalid traffic. In this episode, Kean joins us to shed light on the state of the display advertising industry in 2023. We discuss the challenges publishers are currently facing, including how market changes have impacted RPMS, and how AI will affect organic traffic. Kean also dives into some of the pitfalls that many publishers are unaware of. He reveals the dangers of bot traffic attacks and explains how invalid traffic can be a silent killer for your site.  Kean also explains how many black box companies gatekeep your ad inventory, and how owning that inventory is the key to unlocking exponential growth for your site. According to Kean, “Your ad inventory is a wealth of data that you can use to sell directly to advertisers, access premium RPMS, or create brand partnerships. So If you really want to grow your site to ambitious levels, it’s vital to partner with companies that believe in transparency and ad inventory ownership.” If you want to take control of your ad revenues and propel your site to new heights, then don’t miss a minute of this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Kean’s background and info about MonetizeMore(02:33) How MonetizeMore uses AI tech to detect bots and invalid traffic (04:07)  How competitors use bots traffic attacks and how to protect yourself (08:44) The challenges that publishers are currently facing (17:25) Strategies publishers can use to grow their revenue (22:33) The data points you can gain access to by owning your ad inventory (30:50) How large publishers diversify their traffic sources (33:29) Kean’s take on the effect AI will have on Google Search (36:13) The stepping stones for growth in 2023 (41:05) How Kean keeps innovating after so long in the industry (46:00) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account MonetizeMore ChatGPT Kean’s LinkedIn Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to accelerate your site’s growth using your display advertising inventory.

Buying a business is a great way to skip the queue and jump straight into generating revenue. That said, purchasing a profitable business isn’t cheap.  But what if there was a way to buy a business by leveraging the business’s assets and cash flow to fund the acquisition?  This clever approach is how Jonathan Jay buys businesses with no money down. Jonathan is a serial business buyer and the founder of Dealmakers.co.uk where he teaches people to buy businesses without risking their own capital. In this episode, Jonathan joins us to explain his approach to no-money-down financing, diving into the types of businesses that are ideal for this strategy and how to structure the acquisition using the business’ cash flow. He reveals the common mistakes buyers make and explains which characteristics first-time buyers should look for in a business. According to Jonathan,  “I encourage everyone to make your first acquisition a multimillion revenue acquisition. Go for the bigger businesses because you'll make more money. They're easier to finance, they're easier to buy. They run themselves better. They don't need you because bigger businesses have management in place already.” Jonathan also shares behind-the-scenes details of his pandemic buying spree, where he purchased 48 nursery school businesses in 37 months. He shares the challenges that he encountered along the way as well as the important lessons he learned, including:  “Buying a business is not about the business that you will own, but the person that you become in the process. You become a far more confident person. You become a better business person. You become a better negotiator. You become a more creative thinker when you buy a business. So don't just think about the business, think about the person you’ll become in the process.” If you’d like to learn an alternative way of buying a profitable business that doesn't require millions of dollars, then look no further. This episode is packed full of useful no-money-down acquisition knowledge and tips from a seasoned business buyer! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Jonathan gives us a brief look into his entrepreneurial background (02:30) The mistakes Jonathan made buying 48 businesses during the pandemic (04:56) The characteristics Jonathan looks for in a business (07:13) The types of businesses that are ideal for no-money-down financing (09:55) Buying a business with a positive cash flow is key for no-money-down financing (12:48) How Jonathan structured his acquisitions using the business’ cash flow (17:23) Why Jonathan uses direct mail to source his acquisitions (26:54) The common mistakes business buyers make (30:42) The types of businesses that are difficult to finance (34:03) The best piece of professional advice Jonathan has ever been given or heard (36:41) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Jonathan’s YouTube channel Jonathan’s podcast Jonathan’s workshop Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to buy a business without spending a large lump sum of money!

Success is not final. This is particularly true in business where failure is all too common.  It’s an entrepreneur's mindset and their ability to recognize failure as a necessary stepping stone to success that helps them overcome the challenges they may face. Ace Chapman experienced this first-hand. He bought his first business for $70K and successfully grew it to where he was receiving 7-figure purchase offers from interested buyers. Then the business collapsed as a result of the dot-com crash.  He was ready to brand himself a failure when a mentor reminded him that simply owning a business isn’t the endgame. Businesses are disposable assets that you can leverage to build wealth and your ideal lifestyle.  This revelation ignited Ace’s passion for buying businesses, and 20 years later he has been involved in more than 200 acquisitions.  In this episode, Ace sheds light on his entrepreneurial journey and explains why your business should always be for sale. According to Ace,  “There are two ways to approach a business. You can give your life to the business or the business can give you life.  Instead of thinking of your business as your legacy, think of it as a tool. Your business should always be for sale because it’s really just inventory. It’s a means to an end that you can use to create the life you want.” Ace goes on to explain how he pairs online and offline business acquisitions to leverage the unique strengths of each asset and how he tackles buying businesses in unfamiliar industries.  We also discuss why Ace chose to create his own fund, how he uses that fund as a form of no-money-down financing, as well as the pros and cons of no-money-down deals. Finally, Ace hints at the hidden benefits of joint ventures, a topic we’ll dive deeper into when Ace returns in a few weeks for a follow-up interview. If you want to learn how to grow your wealth through acquisitions, then don’t miss out on a minute of this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Ace Chapman shares his zero-to-hero entrepreneurial journey (02:07) Why your business should always be for sale (10:23) Online business vs offline businesses and how to leverage them against each other (12:43) How Ace approaches growing businesses in industries he is not familiar with (25:17) The pros and cons of no-money-down deals (29:06) How Ace uses funds as a form of no-money-down financing (34:40) Why joint ventures are a  big untapped opportunity for entrepreneurs (44:25) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Acechapman.com Ace Formula by Ace Chapman Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the tricks of the trade from an expert business buyer!

Building a website off of an existing domain instead of starting from scratch gives you a valuable head start. By leveraging the domain’s existing authority and backlinks you can generate traffic and rank your site in a fraction of the time.  But how do you track down an existing domain that is topically relevant? And how do you separate the good domains from the bad? Alex Drew has provided aspiring website owners with the answers to these questions. Alex is the founder of Odys Global, a marketplace that offers a variety of thoroughly vetted, premium, aged domains.  In this episode, Alex joins us to dissect the benefits of buying a domain, and the best practices to follow to ensure success.  He breaks down the characteristics you should look for in a domain, the best ways to migrate and recreate content, and explains the dos and don’t when it comes to 301 redirects.  He also highlights the red flags you should steer clear of, including ensuring that the domain isn’t trademarked and checking the backlink profile for spammy links.  Building a site off of a quality aged domain isn’t the only way you can make money from domains. If you have an eye for spotting future trends, you can also invest in domain names that you think will increase in demand. According to Alex,  “Buying domains to resell later is a viable investment strategy. Domains that were worth $50-$100 15 years ago are now worth thousands of dollars. Good domain names go up in price over time. If you spot a great domain that you can see is undervalued, that’s a huge opportunity for you to become a domain investor.” Whether you’re looking to use a domain as a solid foundation for your new site, or invest and hold it as an asset, this episode is jam-packed with tips and tricks from Alex that will help you track down the ideal domain for your needs. Topics Discussed in This Episode: What the Odys marketplace offers to domain buyers  (02:45) The different types of domains buyers should be aware of (08:58) The best way to recreate content for an aged domain (10:55) The proper use of 301 redirects and how to use 301s in your growth strategy (14:14) How to migrate content over to a new domain (21:21) The characteristics buyers should look for in a good domain (23:12) The ROI you can make on buying a premium aged domain (32:46) The common mistakes people make after buying an aged domain (36:27) A look into the Odys tailored domain search service (40:36) Alex walks us through what the Odys domain sales process looks like (44:30) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Odys Global Alex Drew’s LinkedIn Ahrefs GoDaddy Auctions Dan.com Archive.org Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to fast-track your SEO success by buying an existing domain!

There’s no denying the benefits of being a business owner. It allows you to be your own boss, and have greater control over your time. And, you have the potential to make life-changing amounts of money.  But there are also risks involved, and buying the wrong business can be a costly mistake. You need to find a business that fits your unique skills and needs, which can be challenging. That’s where David C. Barnett comes in. David is a former business broker who now works with buyers and sellers of small businesses, helping them navigate the sales process and ensuring they walk away with a good deal.  In this episode, David walks us through the intricacies of identifying the right business to buy. He explains why buyers should narrow down their search criteria instead of being industry agnostic, and reveals how to make the best return on your investment. According to David, “Find a business that makes money and has problems that you know how to address. That's the best opportunity because it's already profitable, so you've got this unending runway. Then you can start to fix those problems and create something of greater value. That's when you end up with a good deal.” David sheds light on the realities of being a business owner, including why many businesses require a long period of hands-on work before they can become passive.  Finally, David reveals the truth behind “no-money-down” financing, explaining how in many cases, this means leveraging your assets and owing massive debts to alternative lenders. These debts take years to pay off and counteract the perceived freedom that buying an online business gives you. If you’re thinking of buying an online business, then you can’t afford to miss out on the expert knowledge David shares in this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: David introduces himself and his history as a business broker (02:13) Things that often take buyers by surprise and how buyers can protect themselves (20:05) The realities of running an online business that people often underestimate (27:31) Why there’s no such thing as a “hands-of” online business (36:39) How to buy a local business and successfully run it remotely (39:20) The business models that lend themselves to being run remotely (44:39) The truth behind “no-money-down” financing (45:25)  Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account David’s YouTube Channel David’s website Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to identify the right business to buy to help you level up!

Starting your first niche site is one thing – buying, growing, and flipping an empire of sites is another. So how do you scale and sell a portfolio of niche sites? Shawna Newman is an SEO expert with nearly 20 years of experience acquiring and scaling niche sites. She is one of the most seasoned SEO professionals in the industry, known for her unique testing methods and extensive year-long case studies. She is also the founder of Skipblast, where she shares her key findings from her SEO and business research. Shawna joined us on this episode to discuss her methods for building a niche site portfolio, what to look out for when buying and selling sites, how to scale newly acquired sites, and much, much more. Topics Discussed in this episode: How to build an SEO site portfolio from scratch  How long it takes to make $1,000/month from a niche site How to buy and sell sites as part of an SEO portfolio How to diversify your revenue streams, grow your sites, and run an email list When to monetize your site How Shawna developed a successful system to acquire aged and expired domains Shawna’s monthly growth and selling plan How to bounce back from an algorithm update The misconceptions about monetizing and “dripping out” your content The future of building niche sites Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Skipblast Copyhackers Authority Hacker Google Trends Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini Cashvertising by Drew Eric Whitman Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the secrets to building a portfolio of high-performing niche sites.

We've got some exciting podcast guests in store as we kick off Q2 of 2023. But in the meantime, let's revisit the many nuggets of wisdom Greg shared in our 100th-episode special.  The 100th episode of The Opportunity podcast is finally here! To celebrate this milestone, we’re mixing things up. This extra special episode revisits a few of our most memorable interviews to review the top 7 lessons learned from the last 100 shows.  You’ll hear many familiar voices as some of our favorite entrepreneurs and industry experts share their top tips for building, running, and scaling successful online businesses. Greg acts as our guide, walking us through each lesson and sharing his own unique insights and pearls of wisdom. One of Greg’s top takeaways includes, “If you want to build wealth, don’t focus on making money today. Focus on making an experience that will create fans of yours for years to come. Because if you make enough of those fans you’re going to create a snowball effect that’ll carry you far into the future.” Join in the celebration by letting us know which episode or guest has been your favorite so far! Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family so that they can join us for the next 100 episodes where we’ll continue to uncover all of the hidden growth opportunities in the online business industry. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lesson 1: Creating a Machine of Leverage by Knowing the Value of Your Time (02:07) Lesson 2: Learning to Love Risk to Create Wealth (10:30) Lesson 3: Spending 9 Hours Sharpening the Axe, and One Hour Cutting Down the Tree (17:07) Lesson 4: Creating Value While Respecting Your Audience’s Time (26:33) Lesson 5: Communication and Thinking in Four Degrees of Impact (31:43) Lesson 6: Why the Best Marketing Isn’t a Tactic, It’s an Experience (39:45) Lesson 7: Persistence Through Adversarial Wins (44:23) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Jobs to be Done Framework Featured Guests: Kevin Espiritu (Ep #87) Matt Diggity (Ep #23) Sushee Nzeutem (Ep #59) John Hefter (Ep #19) Emma Shermer Tamir (Ep #49) Doron Wolffberg (Ep #41) Perrin Carrell (Ep #79) Alexis Grant (Ep #84) Chelsea Cohen (Ep #42) Fabricio Miranda (Ep #91) Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul (Ep #74) Nicole Baqcai (Ep #55) Ben Donovan (Ep #71) Bill Szabrak (Ep #6) Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a trip down memory lane as we discuss the valuable lessons learned from the past 100 episodes.

It’s easy to get lost in the complexities and nuances of SEO. But what if, instead of spreading yourself thin by focusing on backlinks, page speed, and endless technicalities, you focused solely on content? To many, this may sound like a recipe for disaster. But Nick Jordan, the founder of Content Distribution, has proven that a content-first approach can achieve successful, repeatable results. According to Nick, “If you want more results, the number one thing you need to do is just publish more content. Publish better content than your competition and focus a hundred percent of your attention on that.” To prove his point, Nick built a framework that allowed him to take several projects from zero to a hundred thousand organics a month without building backlinks or doing any technical tweaking. Now, Nick and his team produce hundreds of pieces of content every month without sacrificing quality. In this episode, Nick discusses why he believes content is king, and walks us through the carefully thought-out systems he has put in place to allow him to produce such large volumes of content. Nick explains, “You need two things to scale high-quality content velocity. First, you need people who care. The only way you can publish hundreds of articles every month that are really good and consistently better than the competition is if the folks who are writing and editing the content are passionate about what they do.  The next thing you need is documentation to hold people accountable. If you want something done consistently the same way every single time, you need documentation that enables your team to execute at a level just as high as you or even higher.” Nick’s all-in approach to content also inspired additional business ventures. He introduces us to Cluster AI, the keyword grouping tool that he built to make creating topic clusters a breeze, as well as Workello, a platform that helps entrepreneurs source quality writers in minutes. We end off the episode with some useful tips on how to find the best writers, and Nick weighs in on the impact he thinks AI might have on the SEO industry. If you’re struggling to produce enough content to get your site off the ground, or simply want to learn how to take your content game to the next level, then this is an episode you don’t want to miss out on! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Nick’s 30-second elevator pitch and how he got started in the SEO industry (02:14) Why Nick prioritizes content over backlinks (06:06) Nick’s content-first framework (09:33) How Nick automated his keyword research process (16:11) How Nick’s keyword grouping AI tool informs  page optimization (23:21) How Nick's content production team is structured to mass produce content (25:08) Bootstrapping mass content production using Nick’s strategy (32:56) The metrics Nick measures to determine if a campaign will be successful (40:23) The inspiration behind Workello (46:16) Nick’s tips for hiring quality writers (52:11) The impact Nick thinks AI will have on the SEO industry (1:01:03) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Content Distribution  Cluster Ai Workello Content Distribution Youtube channel Ahrefs Slite Airtable Originality.ai Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to produce large volumes of content without sacrificing quality!

Since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, AI has been the talk of the town among affiliate marketers. Some hail it as a hero that will usher in a new age of efficiency and money-making opportunities. Others see AI as their downfall and are ready to grab their torches and pitchforks to defend their livelihood.  So, is AI the beginning of the end for affiliate marketing?  That is the question that Greg seeks to answer in this week’s episode. Greg assesses the most common fears content site owners have when it comes to AI. These fears include Google punishing AI content, and AI-powered search killing organic SEO. Greg counters these arguments by breaking down the many uses of AI in affiliate marketing and explains that Google can’t afford the financial costs of deploying AI-powered search or the resulting loss of paid advertising revenue. Even if AI were to reinvent SEO, Greg doesn’t believe it will happen any time soon. He explains, “SEO as we know it will change… after a while. The overnight destruction of content websites as we know it won’t happen in the span of weeks. At lightning speed, we might see a significant shift in 2 years, more than likely we’re over 5 years away from a significant change.” Lastly, Greg takes a closer look at Bing’s role in the AI revolution and explains how Bing could use AI as a weapon against their oldest foe Google.So, what do you think? Will AI be a bridge to greener pastures for affiliate marketers, or is this the end of the line for SEO? Topics Discussed in This Episode: Will AI be the death of search engines? (01:50)  How to use AI to boost your online business (03:40) Why SEOs are nervous about the impact of AI (17:07) Why Google search and Bing won’t be replaced by AI (22:16) How Bing could use AI to bring down Google (29:05) Why AI shouldn’t put you off buying a website (33:54) How to hedge your bets against search engines by owning your data (38:00) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create an Empire Flippers account Greg’s Did AI Just Kill Affiliate Marketing? article  ZimmWriter semianalysis.com Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn more about the role AI will play in the future of affiliate marketing.

For many years, an inability to code has held aspiring SaaS founders back from success. Now, no-code and low-code tools are lowering the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs looking to enter the software and tech industries.  But what exactly are no-code and low-code solutions? In this episode, Lola Ojabowale gives us a thorough overview of this exciting technology. Lola is the founder of Lunch Pail Labs, a full-service digital product studio that helps clients research, build, and maintain platforms and apps using no or low-code solutions.  Lola provides a definition of what no-code and low-code actually refer to, and outlines the skills and experience entrepreneurs will need in order to use no-code tools. We discuss the various projects no-code can be used for and the limitations and downsides of choosing no-code over traditional coding solutions.  Lola also explains why she is so passionate about economic equity, and how no-code applications help to further the pursuit of this goal. According to Lola, “What’s so interesting about no-code and low-code is this “permissionlessness” that it enables. Even as a non-technical founder, you don’t have to have anybody’s say-so or permission. And that enables more folks to empower themselves and build solutions that are authentic to themselves.” If you want to dive deeper into the world of no-code, listen carefully to this conversation as Lola shares a long list of tools, educational platforms, and communities that you can use to further your no-code journey. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lola shares insights into how she became involved with no-code platforms (03:58) An explanation of what no-code and low-code really mean (06:42) The type of projects that no code solutions could be used for (08:06) The skills and requirements needed to build no-code platforms (12:26) How LunchPail Labs assists businesses in creating no-code solutions (14:41) The downsides and limitations of no-code (18:31) Changes within the no-code space that are exciting Lola right now (23:34) The best no-code communities for beginners (26:26) The catalyst that inspired Lola to start her own business (28:10) The unique way that Lola approaches risk (33:20) Lola explains why she is so passionate about economic equity (37:43) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Lunch Pail Labs Shoutout Atlanta interview Webflow Zapier Airtable No Code Founders 100 Days of No Code  No Code Family No-Code Cheat Sheet Bubble GitHub CoPilot Makerpad On Deck No-Code Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover the many benefits of no-code and low-code solutions!

In today's tough economic climate, building a passive income has become more important than ever. With that in mind, we thought we'd revisit a popular previous episode that focuses on just that. Enjoy! Affiliate sites are a fantastic way to boost your passive income, but how do you start and scale an affiliate site from nothing? Doug Cunnington is an expert affiliate marketer and the founder of Niche Site Project, where he empowers people with systems and templates to create and scale their own affiliate sites. He is also the host of The Doug Show and a self-titled YouTube channel where he talks about his affiliate marketing journey so far. In this episode, Doug shares a behind-the-scenes look into what works and what doesn’t in affiliate marketing. He talks candidly about the Amazon affiliate program, when and how to scale an affiliate marketing business, and his top tips for driving traffic to your site. Topics Discussed in this episode: Diversifying an affiliate marketing portfolio The love/hate relationship with Amazon Affiliates Why scaling too early could be problematic How to implement the Keyword Golden Ratio How a gap analysis can help you get unstuck The benefits of outsourcing to build a team How to retain and scale freelancer roles within your business Doug’s top three productivity hacks What it takes to stay ahead in affiliate marketing Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Doug’s Podcast Niche Site Project Niche Site Project Templates Trello Tropical MBA podcast Allintitle.co Mile High FI Podcast Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the secrets to building a robust affiliate business of your own!

While Greg works his magic at yet another conference, sourcing new and exciting guests for the podcast, we'll revisit an episode with one of our favorite guests, Kevin Espiritu. Enjoy! How do you turn a humble content site into a multi-platform, globally recognized brand? For Kevin Espiritu, the answer lay in producing human-focused, genuinely useful content instead of churning out articles for profit. Kevin is the founder of Epic Gardening, a gardening brand with a relatively simple mission: to teach 10,000,000 people around the world how to grow plants and food. What started as just a website, is now a multi-faceted content and eCommerce brand with millions of followers on social media.  In this episode, Kevin walks us through the things he wished he had known when he first started building his business, including outsourcing labor to free up valuable time. According to Kevin, “When it comes to growing your business, knowing where your time is most valuable as the founder is the most important thing. If you have the resources, what you should be doing is either automating, delegating, hiring, or deleting things that are not as valuable as your leveraged time.” We dive into the ins and outs of Kevin’s content creation strategy, discussing the techniques and approaches that helped him attract over 10 million readers to his website last year and over 3 million followers on his various social media channels.  Kevin also shares some insights into the future of Epic Gardening, including how he plans to use the $17.5 million in growth capital he recently raised.  Kevin’s success story is a wonderful example of the merits of a human-focused, instead of profit-driven, business strategy. Listen in to learn how to grow your brand across multiple sales and social media platforms while maintaining a cohesive brand identity.  Topics Discussed in This Episode: Kevin shares how his entrepreneurial journey started and where he is today (02:22) The origins and inspiration behind Epic Gardening (06:25) The secret sauce behind Epic Gardening’s enduring success (08:45) How Kevin approaches creating content across various channels and platforms (16:25) The biggest setbacks and challenges Kevin faced while building Epic Gardening (22:46) How Kevin identified the right time to expand into eCommerce (27:41) Why and how Kevin raised $17.5 million in growth capital (34:53) How Kevin plans to use this growth capital to scale Epic Gardening (38:07) Why websites make such a good investment vehicle (41:09) What Kevin would do differently if he had to start Epic Gardening all over again (43:06) Kevin’s dreams for the future of Epic Gardening (49:26) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create your own Empire Flippers account Epic Gardening Epic Homesteading   Authority Hacker Backlinko Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to successfully scale your business while remaining true to your brand identity.

AI is poised to revolutionize the marketing and online business industries. It can increase your revenue, decrease your costs, and according to Mike Kaput, it could 100x your output in the next few years.  Despite these benefits, many marketers and entrepreneurs are still hesitant to embrace AI. In this episode, Mike, the Director of Marketing at the AI Marketing Insitute, joins us to discuss the misconceptions, untapped potential, and use cases of AI in online business. He breaks down the various ways business owners can use AI to optimize their business, including how AI can help take solopreneurs to previously unachievable heights. We dig into how rapidly the AI industry is evolving and the steps entrepreneurs and marketers can take to ensure they don’t get left in the dust. According to Mike, “No matter who you are, or what you do, you’re going to have to start experimenting with AI.  Otherwise, you're going to see some pretty serious existential risks in your career, and in your business. The first thing to do is figure out how to make your content different than what a machine can output. Then, take that unique perspective and scale it using AI tools.” Mike also provides actionable advice on how to write killer AI prompts and how to use AI to improve your email open rates. We also address the common concerns surrounding AI, including the legal and ethical concerns surrounding the technology, and the various jobs that AI is likely to replace. Though there are some uncertain times ahead as we navigate an AI-influenced world, Mike maintains that the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to integrating AI into your online business.  This episode is full of useful tips, advice, and insider knowledge to make sure you don’t get left behind during the coming AI revolution! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Mike introduces himself and shares what the AI Marketing Institute does (02:21) How AI can reduce costs and increase revenue for online businesses (05:24) The Genius in the Room method for writing a great AI prompt (08:30) How to use AI to improve your email open rates (11:49) How to really take advantage of AI as a solopreneur (14:31) What marketers can do to become irreplaceable in the face of AI (20:30) Why Mike believes search engines will become extinct (28:32) How entrepreneurs can stay up to date with rapidly evolving AI (37:12) The ethical concerns involved with using AI (42:23) Mike puts to rest some common myths and misconceptions about AI (47:40) Interesting findings from the AI Marketing Institute state of the industry report (52:57) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  AI Marketing Institute Mike’s LinkedIn Marketing Artificial Intelligence book  State of the Industry report Hubspot Seventh Sense Emad Mostaque’s Twitter Allie K. Miller’s Twitter Robert Scoble’s Twitter Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to leverage AI to reduce costs and increase your ROI!

Amazon sellers need to be flexible to adapt to market fluctuations, changes in consumer behavior, and supply chain disruptions. But one area where they tend to remain rigid is in their pricing.  Chad Rubin believes this is a fatal flaw for FBA business. This flaw inspired him to create Profasee, a dynamic repricing tool that helps sellers maximize profits without sacrificing their product ranking on Amazon.  In this episode, Chad joins us to discuss the origins of Profasee and walks us through his experiences as the founder of Skubana and co-founder of the Prosper Show. He shares why he chose to exit those businesses, and the challenges of being a multi-disciplined entrepreneur running eCommerce, agency, Saas, and event businesses. Chad explains how Profasee was born out of his need to revive his flagging eCommerce business, and how pricing is an often overlooked growth opportunity by Amazon sellers. According to Chad, “Your price should never be static. Especially in a fast marketplace like Amazon. Your competitors are changing prices. Your inventory, stock positions, your positioning on Amazon, your BSR, your ad spend - everything is changing. So your price should always change too. It's the quickest lever to pull that nobody's pulling on Amazon.” Chad also debunks some common misconceptions about Ai in SaaS and shares how he integrated Ai into Profasee to forecast optimal pricing. We dig into the signals and data that his Ai uses to calculate dynamic pricing, and how his data science team co-pilots the Ai.  Plus, Chad shares his predictions on upcoming trends that will shape the Amazon FBA industry in the coming years, including how embracing Ai is the key to ensuring the longevity of your brand.  This episode is overflowing with information on how to maximize your profits, stay ahead of the competition and secure the long-term success of your online business. Don’t miss out! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A brief look into Chad’s background and entrepreneurial journey (02:11) How Chad manages multiple brands simultaneously (04:50) How an Integrator can help businesses grow (07:41) The mistakes and obstacles Chad faced when building Skubana (10:12) Chad sheds some light on his exit from Skubana (13:40) How Chad became involved in the creation of Prosper show (23:51) A breakdown of Profasee and how it uses Ai to calculate optimal pricing (30:27) The most common mistakes FBA sellers make when it comes to pricing (42:51) The trends Chad foresees in the Amazon FBA industry moving forward (50:29) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Create your own Empire Flippers account Profasee Prosper Show Chat GBT Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to gain the upper hand on Amazon by using dynamic pricing!

The beauty of being an affiliate marketer is that you don’t have to deal with the hassle of product development, manufacturing, or customer support. You use your marketing and copywriting skills to promote other businesses and make a healthy profit while you’re at it.  This is what drew Jason Akatiff to affiliate marketing, but he didn’t stop there. He went on to create ambitious partnerships with other businesses, pooling his ideas and capital with their resources to execute some pretty impressive projects. As these projects started stacking up, Jason decided to consolidate his ideas into one business. And that's how A4D, his very own affiliate network, was born. Thanks to Jason's reputation in forums and the affiliate community, A4D quickly gained traction and is now one of the biggest affiliate networks out there. In this episode, Jason joins us to share his unique insights into the affiliate industry, and to discuss the challenges and successes he’s experienced while scaling A4D.  He reveals how customers who weren’t paying almost bankrupted the business, and how pivoting away from the supplements niche into lead generation, mortgage, and insurance helped to save A4D.  Jason paints a picture of an ideal affiliate partner and outlines the characteristics affiliates need to make a name a name for themselves in the industry. He also discusses his passion for AI and how affiliates can use it to boost their businesses. According to Jason, “I think AI is going to create a massive wave of opportunity in the affiliate marketing world. Most affiliates just want to focus on being marketers and building an audience and a readership that they can monetize. They don’t want to have employees. AI can help them write their content, create graphics, or do video editing without having to use third parties or VAs.” If you’re looking to join the affiliate industry or go one step further and start an affiliate network of your own, then don’t miss out on Jason’s expert advice and inside knowledge! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Jason reveals the origins of A4D as well as other projects he has worked on (02:13) How Jason scaled A4D and the challenges he faced along the way (09:52) How AI will impact affiliate marketing and how to use it to grow your skills quickly (21:17) How Jason vets affiliates who want to join A4D (28:50) Using affiliate commissions to monetize your email list with the help of AI (32:20) The characteristics affiliates need to be successful (37:06) The foundations you should have in place before becoming an affiliate (42:51) How to structure the commission for your affiliate program (46:37) The best way for brands to capitalize on top-of-funnel affiliate conversions (50:17) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  A4D Jason’s blog Jason’s Twitter Built with AI group Midjourney Canva Chat GBT Pictory Descript Stack That Money forum Facebook Ad Buyers group Click Bank Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn what it takes to become a key player in the affiliate world!

When it comes to eCommerce success, profitability is only one piece of the puzzle. The other, often overlooked piece, is having the time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and focus on the parts of the business that bring you the most joy and satisfaction.  But how can one achieve this balance in the fast-paced world of eCommerce?  For Ronnie Teja, the answer lies in the power of delegation.  Ronnie is a brand aggregator and the founder of Branzio watches, a business he grew to over 7 figures, all while acquiring and scaling his portfolio to include 15 different eCommerce brands. In this episode, Ronnie opens up about the highs and lows of his entrepreneurial journey. We discuss the challenges he faced, including a lack of startup capital, getting banned by Google and Facebook, and having to fire dishonest employees. He also reveals how mental discipline and perseverance are qualities that have helped him succeed where others have failed. We then discuss how bootstrap entrepreneurs often struggle to justify the costs of outsourcing tasks, preferring to do all of the work themselves and retain 100% control over all aspects of their business. Having fallen prey to this mindset himself, Ronnie reveals the massive improvements he saw in his business and his lifestyle when he learned to trust in the skills of specialists. According to Ronnie, “Delegating is extremely important. It was only when I started giving away control and hiring people who are actually specialists in their field that I became successful. To give away your power and ask the right questions is the most important thing I’ve done in the past few years.“ If you want to know what it’s really like to run a large eCommerce portfolio, then this no hold barred interview with an industry titan is exactly what you’re looking for! Topics Discussed in This Episode: How a magazine article inspired Ronnie’s 7-figure watch brand (02:36) The challenges Ronnie faced with his Branzio (08:30) The secret sauce that helped Ronnie succeed and expand his business (13:22) What inspired Ronnie to branch out and start expanding his portfolio (17:18) Greg’s take on the current market (23:00) How Ronnie manages his time across his portfolio (30:26) A typical week in Ronnie’s life (37:07) Why Ronnie outsourced hiring to ensure the right people are hired for the job (40:39) The tools Ronnie uses to manage his teams (44:48) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Branzio Watches Ronnie’s LinkedIn Ronnies Twitter Nik Sharma’s E-commerce in DTC newsletter Chase Diamond’s Email Marketing newsletter Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn why delegation is the key to unlocking a new level of online business success!

Every investor dreams of spotting the next unicorn business. But it takes a seasoned pro with a wealth of industry knowledge to identify the unique characteristics that make or break an early-stage SaaS business.  Artem Gassan is one of these experts, having scaled and invested in over 50 SaaS companies, including a unicorn business now worth over $2 billion. He not only knows how to identify SaaS businesses with huge potential, but he also knows how to take early-stage SaaS companies from zero to hero. In this episode, we soak up Artem’s expert advice as he joins us to discuss the building blocks of a successful SaaS business.  We dissect why almost 70% of early-stage SaaS companies don’t reach their second round of funding as well as where businesses go wrong when trying to engage with customers on LinkedIn. Artem explains why trust is a vital part of attracting and retaining customers, and he breaks down the core operational differences between B2B and B2C SaaS businesses. We also dive into the importance of calculating and tracking your sales velocity and Artem outlines a step-by-step guide to creating a powerful go-to-market strategy. According to Artem, “There are four key elements to a great go-to-market strategy. First, build trust through thought leadership content. Second, create product-led growth elements. These are things like calculators or diagnostic tools that give consumers value and a sneak peek into the product without purchasing the product. Third, optimize your pricing and make it clear, and transparent. Finally, simplify your onboarding process and measure everything that you do.” Whether you’re an investor looking for the next big thing, or a SaaS founder trying to accelerate your growth, you are sure to find bucketloads of helpful tips and tricks in this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A rundown of Artem’s background and entrepreneurial journey so far (03:00) Why the SaaS industry resonates with Artem (05:05) The unicorn business that Artem became an early investor in (08:53) Sales velocity is the most critical metric to the health of a SaaS startup (12:11) The differences between B2B and B2C SaaS (20:25) How B2B SaaS business should build trust with enterprise customers (24:45) Common mistakes people make when engaging with customers on LinkedIn (32:25) The building blocks of an effective go-to-market strategy (36:54) When to use gated content vs ungated content (47:33) Why 70% of early-stage SaaS companies never reach round 2 of funding (52:56) Emerging trends in the SaaS industry (1:0020) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Lead Impact Artem’s LinkedIn Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs - book by Larry Keeley The Startup Owner's Manual: The Step-By-Step Guide for Building a Great Company - book by Steve Blank You Can't Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar : The Sandler Sales Institute's 7-Step System for Successful Selling - By David Sandler Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn about the key metrics that make up a successful SaaS business. 

Running a big online business can be like captaining a large ship. As the business grows, it can become less nimble and harder to adapt to new trends and changes in the industry.  But, with the right kind of foresight and knowledge of the online business landscape, you can steer your business to even greater heights.  This is where Joel Stevenson thrives. With his experience as Vice President of Wayfair and now as CEO of Yesware, an email outreach software, he's helped take multiple industry giants to new heights of success. In this episode, Joel gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse at his approach to growing businesses and explains some of the unique challenges that large businesses face as they scale. We discuss the differences between growing eCommerce vs SaaS businesses, and how to navigate the competitiveness of mature markets.  Joel also shares details of Vendasta’s recent acquisition of Yesware, explaining how the acquisition came about, and how he worked to make Yesware an attractive asset for interested buyers. According to Joel, “I really tried to rebuild the company in such a way that it would be acquisition friendly. We tried to have a minimal overhead cost structure. We tried to be very efficient. We paid down a ton of tech debt. My goal was for somebody to see our product, and see that the business itself is in good shape, and know that it would be easy to take it over and really accelerate it.”   We also dive into why Yesware opted for a stock sale over an asset sale and discuss the appropriate use cases for each option.  If you want to peek behind the curtain to learn more about the operational intricacies of large online businesses, then look no further! Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Joel achieved incredible business growth at Wayfair (03:02) Joel’s approach to growing businesses and solving problems (05:49) The differences between growing eCom vs SaaS businesses (13:51)  The roles that SEO and SEM played in the growth of Wayfair and Yesware (17:12) How Joel navigates mature markets (22:40)  The story of Yesware’s growth and an explanation of the product (29:15) Vendasta’s acquisition of Yesware (34:46) The differences between a stock sale and an asset sale (44:44) The common mistakes people make when sending out cold emails (48:10) The best piece of professional advice Joel has ever been given or heard (53:37) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Yesware The Hard Sell podcast The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt Winning by Design Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover what it takes to operate and grow a large online business!

Buying an existing business allows you to skip the building phase and jump straight into generating profit. Similarly, using expired domains can be a cost-effective alternative to starting from scratch.  This is a tactic that Sean Markey often uses, leveraging expired domains to fast-track the authority of his sites. Sean is an SEO who specializes in acquiring, building out, and 301’ing expired domains. Using this approach, he has sold over $775k in sites in the last few years.  In this episode, Sean joins us to shed light on the various benefits of using expired domains.  We discuss the qualities of a great expired domain, and the red flags you should steer clear of. According to Sean, “For me the most important characteristics are, is the expired domain indexed? Then, if it's indexed, is it ranking? A lot of really powerful expired domains with strong backlink profiles will continue ranking. That makes the pool of possible acquisitions smaller because a lot of sites don't hold their rankings through that expiration process. Then, check what the site is ranking for and ask yourself if it's niche-relevant to what you're doing.” Sean dives into the various ways you can use expired domains, and how long it will take to start seeing results. He also reveals the best places to purchase expired domains and walks us through some strategies you can use to win domain auctions. If you are looking for new and effective ways to boost your backlink profile and domain authority, then look no further than this informative episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Sean walks us through his background and his entrepreneurial journey (03:24) What initially drew Sean to expired domains (07:01) The characteristics of a good expired domain (09:57) At what stage in its lifecycle should you purchase an expired domain? (14:20) What Sean looked for when buying a site from Empire Flippers (16:19) Why Sean uses 301 redirects as his main link-building method (20:51) The best places to buy an expired domain (23:26) What to do with an expired domain once you’ve bought it (26:56) The timeline of taking an expired domain from zero to hero (34:13) Strategies to win domain auctions (38:08) The backstory of Sean’s Rank Theory newsletter (40:30) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Rank Theory newsletter Ahrefs Wayback Machine Spamzilla.io Dom Cop  ExpiredDomains.net How To Start a Bog Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to use expired domains to accelerate your domain authority.

We're getting back into the swing of things after the holidays, so no new episode this week. But rest assured, we'll be back next week with a new episode overflowing with interesting online business insights! Given the recent buzz around AI, we thought this was a great time to revisit one of our previous interviews with a founder who built his business using AI.  Wouldn’t it be great to get a sneak peek into the future to gain insights into who your most loyal customers will be, which products they’ll buy, and how much profit you’ll make as a result? Metrics like customer lifetime value (LTV) and customer acquisition costs (CAC) can help you to predict these outcomes, if you can find a way to access this precious data, that is.  Amazon is notorious for safeguarding customer data, but Rael Cline has found a way to access and interpret this information on behalf of Amazon sellers. Rael is the co-founder and CEO of Nozzle, a tech platform that helps FBA sellers unlock deep insights about their brand performance. In this episode, Rael discusses the difficulties that Amazon sellers face in trying to build a brand identity without fully understanding their audience. We walk through why an AI-based platform is the ideal solution to gather and interpret Amazon data, and how FBA sellers can use this information to get ahead of their competition. He also reveals how to use these metrics to grow your business. According to Rael,  “There are three levers you can use to help increase your customer lifetime value. Getting customers to buy again is the biggest thing. Increasing the average order value is another way of increasing your LTV, and another way of doing it is getting them to buy more frequently.” Rael also shares insights into the data that Amazon aggregators find most valuable, and how they use that information to inform their buying decisions. Whether you’re looking to enhance your customer experience, optimize your product offering, or simply learn more about the nuances of AI, this episode has it all! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Rael made his way into the world of online business (02:23) The challenges Amazon sellers face when trying to access their customer data (09:24) How Rael created Nozzle to help FBA sellers overcome these challenges (12:05) The various ways Amazon sellers can optimize their LTV and CAC (16:00) The Amazon data sets that FBA sellers are most surprised by (21:54) How Rael harnessed AI to create a unique solution for gathering and interpreting Amazon data (25:14) The Amazon data sets that aggregators hone in on when eyeing a new acquisition (34:04) Rael’s predictions on the upcoming Amazon trends in 2022 (38:31) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Nozzle Tableau Looker Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to leverage your customer data to maximize your business.

Many online business owners assume that because they work online they are exempt from the laws and regulations of different states and countries.  Unfortunately, this assumption is not true and can result in unsuspecting sellers finding themselves in hot water with the law. In many cases, the law hasn’t caught up to the advancements made in online business which often leads to eCommerce sellers being treated unfairly.  It was this injustice that inspired Paul Rafelson to defend eCommerce sellers. Paul is a Partner at Rafelson Law PLLC, a law firm that specializes in eCommerce law, Intellectual Property, M&A, Amazon Suspensions, Disputes, and more. In this episode, Paul walks us through the common legal problems that eCommerce sellers face. He breaks down the nexus tax issue that plagued Amazon merchants and explains the key points your Amazon insurance policy should contain. We also dive into how having an M&A lawyer in your corner when selling your business can make a world of difference. According to Paul,  “Aside from marriage and children, selling your business will probably be the most important transaction of your life. It’s your game-changing story, and that’s huge, so you want to do it right.” Paul explains the nuances of negotiating with aggregators vs normal buyers and shares tips on how to ensure a successful negotiation. He also reveals some of the potential pitfalls of earnout agreements and how to ensure you get the money owed to you.  If you want to ensure that your eCommerce business stays on the right side of the law, then don’t miss a second of this episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Paul became a lawyer and got into the online business industry (04:12) The nexus tax issue that inspired the formation of Paul’s law firm (13:53) The common legal problems that Amazon sellers face (20:43) The legal risks of starting an FBA business vs Shopify (36:52) An overview of what an Amazon insurance policy should contain (44:16) The benefits of hiring an M&A lawyer when selling your online business (45:37) The differences between negotiating a sale with aggregators vs citizen buyers (49:25) The potential dangers of earnouts (53:25) Paul’s tips for eCommerce sellers when it comes to negotiating with buyers (57:35) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Rafelson Law Firm Seller Basics Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn valuable insights about eCommerce law!

Rank and Rent is a great business model for earning a passive income online. The only downside is you have to wait for your sites to rank before you can rent them out. Unsatisfied with this approach, Nick Wood decided to turn Rank and Rent on its head.  He builds a landing page and uses ad campaigns to drive traffic to the site. The ads help to generate a handful of leads in a fraction of the time, allowing Nick to rent the site out almost immediately. Only once he’s secured a rental client does Nick then focus on ranking the site. This rent-first, rank-later strategy has helped Nick reach over $100,000 in monthly revenue! In this episode, Nick joins us to discuss what inspired him to reinvent the Rank and Rent business model and the secret sauce behind his success. He believes too many entrepreneurs waste time perfecting their websites instead of generating an income as soon as possible. According to Nick, “It’s about moving fast and getting stuff done. The money’s not in perfection, the money is in action.” Nick breaks down how he finds the right clients for his sites, walks us through his sales pitch, and explains how to overcome the objections a client might throw his way.  We dig into the nitty-gritty details of how to factor ad spend into your rental charges, as well as how to calculate your expected site traffic volume, and obtain a Google Business Profile without the usual hassle.  If you’re looking for a way to generate the passive income of a Rank and Rent site without the wait time, then look no further. This episode is jam-packed with all the tips and tricks you need to get started on your Rent, then Rank business journey! Topics Discussed in This Episode: A brief description of Rank and Rent (04:50) How Nick developed his “rent first, rank later” strategy (08:14) The golden ratio between ad spend CPC and rental charges(15:22) The rank and rent business model is undervalued (19:14) Nick’s process for obtaining a Google Business Profile (24:58)  How to calculate your expected site traffic volume (31:11) A breakdown of how Nick sources and signs new clients (34:20) Why picking the right city and niche is the key to success (42:42) How to overcome objections when pitching rent and rank sites (51:40) The structure of Nick’s team and Nick’s role in the business (58:34) How Nick plans to scale his business to $1 million per month (1:00:28) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Digital landlord Nick’s YouTube Channel Nick’s Facebook group Nick’s Digital Landlord Discord Rank and Rent podcast episode with Luke Van Der Veer What Is a Lead Worth calculator  Ahrefs Semrush Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to rent out your lead-generating websites before they rank!

The goal of many entrepreneurs is to build a business that will one day give them true financial freedom.  In theory, it’s a simple three-step process. Create it. Scale it. Sell it.  But in reality, achieving a life-changing exit is a pipedream that only a handful of entrepreneurs actually accomplish. So, what does it take to beat the odds and achieve a multi-million dollar exit? In this episode, we’re joined by an entrepreneur who knows the answer to this question first-hand. Patrick Campbell is the founder of ProfitWell, a SaaS platform that helps businesses grow their recurring revenue through subscription analytics, retention, and pricing solutions. Patrick’s business was recently acquired by Paddle for $200 million!  Patrick joins us to discuss the details behind the acquisition, how he successfully grew Profitwell, and how his life has changed since his 9-figure exit.  Patrick explains how he set Profitwell apart from its competitors by thinking long-term, being strategic with pricing, and always keeping the bigger picture in mind. Patrick also used competitive analysis to better understand what consumers were looking for and identify where Profitwell’s competitive advantage lay. We also dive into the challenges Partick faced while scaling the business, and how he overcame these setbacks. According to Patrick, “Did we have “Oh my word, everything is terrible moments?” 100%, yes. But the nature of what we do as entrepreneurs is to get back up and keep going. Every time there’s a hardship that you get through, your brain as an entrepreneur goes “Well, it must not have been that bad because I figured it out.” And that helps you to keep moving forward.” If you’re hoping to make a life-changing exit of your own one day, don’t miss a second of this candid, behind-the-scenes look at the ins and outs of a multi-million dollar acquisition! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Patrick introduces himself and shares insight into his entrepreneurial journey (01:27) The inspiration behind Profitwell (07:42) The secret sauce behind the growth of Profitwell (11:04) How Patrick outpaced competitors and differentiated Profitwell from competitors (21:41) Profitwell’s unique organizational structure (26:01) Patrick’s darkest moment building Profitwell (32:45) Why Patrick said the word “churn”100K times  (38:36) How Paddle’s acquisition of Profitwell came about (46:10) How Patrick’s life has changed since exiting Profitwell (51:24) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Profitwell Paddle Notion High Output Management by Andrew Grove Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover what it’s like to make a 9-figure exit from an online business.

Loans can sometimes get a bad rap, but they can be a powerful tool when it comes to funding business acquisitions. The key is finding the right type of loan to suit your specific needs and risk appetite.  Given the volatility of online business, many entrepreneurs are hesitant to use their house or other valuable assets as collateral when applying for funding.  Having recognized the need for a more flexible type of funding, Boopos offers aspiring business owners access to revenue-based financing.  Revenue-based financing requires no collateral, and the repayments fluctuate according to the revenue your business generates. This greatly reduces the risk of defaulting on your repayments.  In this episode, Ignacio Villanueva, the Head of Partnerships at Boopos, joins us to dissect revenue-based financing and explains the advantages of using funding when acquiring an online business.  Revenue-based financing is much faster than traditional funding options. Boopos loans take 48 hours to be pre-approved, and only seven days to close the transaction. This means you’re less likely to lose out on a great acquisition while you wait for your funding to come through.  To make acquiring business using funding even speedier, many of the listings on our marketplace have been pre-approved for financing by Boopos. Keep an eye out for businesses marked with the ‘financing approved’ badge! If you want to know more about how to increase your business acquisition spending power through revenue-based financing, then listen in to this enlightening episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Ignacio reveals his background and explains the service that Boopos offers (03:47) What is revenue-based financing? (06:30) The advantages of using Boopos over SBA or traditional funding (13:10) The criteria Boopos look for when pre-approving a business for financing (19:01) A breakdown of Boopos lending rates (23:28) The repayment times for Boopos loans (25:38) The types of business models that Boopos offers financing for (27:12) The advantages of using a loan to fund a business acquisition (35:37) Real-life examples of successful Boopos funding stories (48:57) Red flags to look out for when financing a business acquisition (52:45) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Boopos Content Site ROI Case Study Amazon FBA ROI Case Study Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover the benefits of using revenue-based financing to help you fund your business acquisitions!

When building a content site, you don’t have to choose between profitable and passive. You can have the best of both worlds, as long as you have a few key elements in place.  Figuring out what these key elements are can be a steep learning curve for newcomers. That’s where Morten Storgaard comes in.  Morten is a seasoned content site professional who put his experience to good use by creating Passive Income Geek. His in-depth course teaches entrepreneurs how to build a full-time income with passive websites. He also has a successful YouTube channel where he shares useful tips and tricks for improving your sites.  In this episode, Morten unpacks some of the core building blocks of a successful content site.   We dive into the importance of a strong domain name, and what separates the good names from the bad. Morten reveals he thinks why redirects and link building should take a back seat to creating quality content, and explains how to churn out top-notch content while keeping your business passive. We also touch on how you can use YouTube to feed traffic to your site, and how to balance content production across both platforms.  If you want to get into the content site game, but don’t have much time on your hands, then Morten has plenty of actionable advice that you can use to build a passive website business of your very own. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Morten introduces himself and explains the idea behind Passive Income Geek (01:40) Why Morten transitioned away from affiliate sites into content sites (05:06) Why choosing a good domain name is crucial (10:05) Morten sheds some light on his content production process (14:25) Bad SEO advice that Morten has come across (17:29) Why Morten prioritizes quality content over 301 redirects and link building (20:18) The role that social media plays in Morten's business strategy (27:14) How to scale a YouTube channel without being the face of your brand (29:42) How Morten manages his team and his portfolio of sites (33:07) The origins of Passive Income Geek and what sets it apart from other courses (41:56) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Passive Income Geek Passive Income Geek YouTube channel Wayback Machine Economics Explained YouTube channel Keyword Chef Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to generate a full-time income from passive content sites!

Creating a website that generates a steady stream of revenue is goal number one for the majority of site owners.  The challenge is leveling your site up further, to where the money you make from your site can replace your main source of income.  Teaching people to do exactly that is Ricky Kesler’s passion. Ricky is the co-founder of Income School, an educational platform that teaches website owners how to build profitable blogs and YouTube channels that provide a reliable source of income.  In this episode, Ricky joins us to discuss why focusing on building authority is the best way to create a profit-generating website. Building authority not only helps your site rank better on Google but also makes accumulating backlinks that much easier.  “Five or six years ago, just writing good content was enough. But now, in addition to good content, it’s grown more and more important to have authority of some kind.”  According to Ricky, there are two main areas to focus on when building authority, topical authority and industry authority. You can build topical authority through a depth of content. Instead of focusing on surface-level topics in your niche, pick 1-3 niched-down categories that you can dive deeper into. Writing an extensive amount of content will help you become an authority in these subcategories before expanding into the wider niche.  Second, build authority and renown in your industry by writing guest posts, or even better, appearing on relevant podcasts. This will help you become a known name in your niche and, as an added bonus, will help you build relevant backlinks to your site.  Ricky also walks us through the key building blocks you should put in place when starting a site from scratch, how to leverage YouTube to grow your audience, and he shares several powerful growth strategies you can use to level up your site. This episode has all the information you need to grow your website from a side hustle to a money-making machine! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Ricky’s background and the origins of Income School (02:57) How Ricky goes about building authority for his sites (06:34) The key building blocks needed to create an authoritative site (12:31) Additional growth strategies you can use to build your site (17:31) The optimum number of websites to have in your portfolio (21:44) The criteria you should look for when buying websites (24:43) How Ricky knew it was time to sell some of his sites (28:46) SEO myths and misconceptions that you should avoid (32:40) How to use YouTube to build an audience (37:55) Ricky breaks down the ins and outs of his Project 24 course (43:44) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Income School Project 24 Epic Gardening Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to build an income-generating website by growing your site’s authority.

Building and maintaining a handful of websites is enough to keep most SEOs extremely busy. But is there a way to build a large portfolio of sites that can generate a passive monthly income?  As Luke Luke Van Der Veer discovered, this can be achieved using the rank and rent business model.  Luke builds high-ranking, lead-generating websites that target profitable niches. He then rents these sites to business owners who can take advantage of the leads. After investing a few hours into building and ranking the sites, the majority of Luke’s work is done. He can then sit back and enjoy the recurring rental income that the sites bring in.  In this episode, Luke sits down with us to discuss the rent and rank business model in detail. He walks us through how he scaled his business to include 100+ rank and rent sites, how he outsources work, and the fee structure he used to get to a 6-figure monthly income.  For those who are just starting out in rank and rent, Luke breaks down how to source clients for your sites, which niches can be money pits, and the mindset entrepreneurs need to adopt to make a success of this business model.  Luke also sheds light on the strategies he uses to get his sites to rank, including using Google My Business, the ins and outs of citations, and how to use blog comments and PBNs to build up his sites’ backlink profiles.  If you are skilled in SEO but don’t have the time or resources to maintain a traditional content site, then rank and rent may be the solution you’ve been searching for. Grab your notebook and pick up invaluable tips and tricks from the industry leader in rank and rent websites! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Luke’s background and how he ended up in the online business world (03:30) A breakdown of how the rent and rank business model works (06:50) How Luke goes about finding clients to rent his sites (12:40) Why Luke prefers to work within the home services niche (15:55) The common mistakes people make with rank and rent (17:25) The benefits of ranking on Google My Business (20:06) Why you should wait until your address is verified before doing citations (28:22) How Luke uses blog comments and PBNs as a backlink strategy (30:25) How Luke structures the fees for his services (35:26) Examining the earning potential of rank and rent (39:35) Why Luke is diversifying his business with brick-and-mortar real estate (45:15) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Luke's Website Rental Coaching  Side Hustle Nation Online Jobs  CallRail Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to build a passive income using the rank and rent strategy!

Attracting a high volume of traffic to your site means very little if your traffic isn’t converting into sales. So, how do you turn window shoppers into paying customers?  According to Chris Silvestri, it’s all about positioning.  Chris is the founder of Conversion Alchemy, an agency that combines copywriting and UX design with clever digital psychology tricks to help SaaS business owners improve their website conversions.  In this episode, Chris joins us to reveal what he believes is the root of most conversion problems - many SaaS entrepreneurs don’t fully understand their audience.  Chris explains that achieving product-market fit is not enough on its own. You need to narrow down your target audience and truly understand what drives them. This knowledge feeds your positioning, helping you create a website that clearly communicates why consumers should purchase your product.  Chris goes on to explain the different categories he covers when compiling audience research and how to use this data to inform the copy on your site. According to Chris,  “There are three categories of messaging that you should have on your site. First, is motivation - what brings customers to your site, and does your product provide what they need? Second, is value - are the features and solutions your product provides made clear on your site? Finally, address consumer anxiety by countering objections and instilling trust.” Chris also sheds some light on the common mistakes SaaS owners make when writing copy for their sites and the essential features every good SaaS site should have. If you’re looking for that extra push that will convince consumers to stop browsing and start buying, then follow Chris’s advice on how to optimize your SaaS product positioning. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Chris shares a brief overview of his entrepreneurial journey so far (02:06) The unique challenges SaaS owners face when it comes to copywriting (06:08) Why many SaaS owners don’t fully understand their audience (09:20) The framework Chris uses to conduct audience research (10:26) The features every good SaaS site should have (13:05) How often you should revisit your brand positioning (18:00) How to narrow down which audience you should focus on (19:40) Common mistakes SaaS owners make when writing copy for their sites (25:55) Product problems are often audience problems in disguise (30:59) The toughest obstacles Chris faced when building Conversion Alchemy (33:50) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Conversion Alchemy Capterra G2 Alchemy by Rory Sutherland Hotjar Conversion Crimes Fathom Copy Hackers The NN Group MECLABS Institute Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to correctly position your SaaS product to increase conversions!

Sometimes, consumers need a little nudge to convince them to add your product to their checkout cart.  You could try using discounts and promotions to lure consumers in, but these techniques aren’t always sustainable and can eat into your bottom line. So what strategies can you use instead? Nancy Harhut believes the answer lies in neuromarketing. Nancy is the Co-Founder and CCO of HBT Marketing, an agency that blends creativity with behavioral science to drive consumer engagement. Through many years of research, Nancy has learned that consumer behavior often isn’t rational. Instead, people are driven by hard-wired, instinctive and emotional responses. By tapping into behavioral science techniques, entrepreneurs can trigger these instinctive responses to boost conversions.  In this episode, Nancy joins us to explain the science behind consumer decision-making and walks us through how to use concepts like the authority principle, social proof, and loss aversion to increase purchase intent. According to Nancy,  “Behavioral scientists have found that people are twice as motivated to avoid the pain of loss as they are to achieve the pleasure of gain. So as a marketer, you should inject a little well-placed loss aversion. Instead of saying “Take advantage of”, try saying “Don’t miss out on”. That’s what people really pay attention to because people hate to lose out.” Don’t risk missing out on any more sales! Use Nancy’s expert advice to gain an advantage over your competitors and stand out from the crowd. (See what we did there?) Topics Discussed in This Episode: Nancy’s entrepreneurial background and the origins of HBT Marketing (03:45) Neuromarketing and behavioral science and how it applies to marketing (08:43) The topics Nancy’s book covers and how it can help marketers (15:40) How Nancy created a 13% increase in purchase intent for one of her clients (17:41) Top techniques to trigger emotional responses in your customers (20:54) How different demographics respond to neuromarketing techniques (31:17) Common mistakes people make when attempting to use neuromarketing (35:01)  Cringy marketing techniques you should avoid (37:47) What inspired Nancy to write her book Using Behavioural Science in Marketing (44:38) Changes and trends that have influenced marketing over the last few years (48:35) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  HBT Marketing Using Behavioural Science in Marketing by Nancy Harhut  The believing Brain by Michael Shermer Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to increase purchase intent through behavioral marketing.

While every business faces its own unique challenges, many early-stage SaaS startups share common characteristics that can dictate their success or downfall. Figuring out what makes these startups thrive and what causes them to crumble requires years of expertise and industry knowledge. Having invested in and worked with over 450 pre-seed & seed stage SaaS startups, Marvin Liao has certainly earned his stripes when it comes to identifying and nurturing profitable and sustainable SaaS businesses. In this episode, Marvin joins us to discuss everything early-stage SaaS founders should be doing. He provides actionable tips and advice including focusing on a narrowed-down, niche audience, remembering to listen to your gut instead of relying solely on data, and waiting until your business is more established before raising growth capital. According to Marvin,  “I’ve found that, in general, bootstrap founders are better at running businesses. Money can be a crutch. You figure out business basics faster when you don't have a lot of money. It forces you to not waste time. So, bootstrap first, and then once you’ve gained traction and have a better sense of what you're building and who you're targeting - that’s the time to raise funding.” Marvin also touches on the common mistakes that SaaS founders make, like modeling themselves after industry giants, spreading their focus too thin instead of doubling down on what works, and undercharging for their software while it’s still a work in progress.  If your SaaS business is still in its infancy, then you can't afford to miss out on Marvin’s expert insights to help your business reach its full potential. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Why startups shouldn’t model themselves after business giants (02:00) Marvin explains why he’s the Forest Gump of Silicon Valley (15:04) Why early-stage SaaS founders should focus on bootstrapping instead of VC funding (20:55) How to balance data-driven decisions with creative “gut-driven” decisions (28:58)  What SaaS founders get wrong when pricing their products (31:26) The benefits of focusing on a narrow, niche audience as a startup (35:34) The common mistakes SaaS founders make when trying to scale (38:54) The criteria Marvin looks at when investing in a business (40:20) It’s easier than ever to create a successful SaaS startup (45:37) The best professional advice Marvin has ever been given or heard (50:38) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  The Hard Fork by Marvin Liao The Next Big Blue-Collar Job Is Coding Conversion Crimes Wayback Machine Justine Musk’s Quora post Sit back, grab a coffee, and listen in as we pick the brain of an early-stage SaaS expert!

For many entrepreneurs, the road to success is a long and winding one, with each milestone helping you prepare for the next leg of your journey.  Dom Wells's journey is no exception. Unsatisfied with his job as a teacher, he began building websites. This led to the creation of Human Proof Designs, a business that creates done-for-you starter websites for people looking to get into the content site game. The success and eventual exit of that business allowed Dom to begin acquiring higher-value websites. As he built a portfolio of his own, Dom was inspired to create Onfolio, a holding company that buys, grows and operates online businesses, particularly in the content niche.  In this episode, Dom joins us to reflect on his 10-year entrepreneurial journey, walking us through the process of selling Human Proof Designs and explaining how he knew it was the right time to exit the business. According to Dom, “Many entrepreneurs build successful 6 or 7-figure businesses because they’re really good at one thing, or they’re driven by sheer passion and force of will. The tough part is when you reach a plateau. Then you have to decide if you’re willing to push through and learn a new skill and think more strategically in order to level up, or if you’re going to use your existing skills to start over again.” We then shift our focus to Onfolio as Dom describes the evolution of his business’s service offering. Dom also explains the dangers of spreading yourself too thin and shares advice on how to structure your team to make sure nothing falls through the cracks as your business expands. Finally, Dom reveals what motivated him to take Onfolio public and the process involved in listing a business on Nasdaq.  With a decade of experience under his belt, Dom has a wealth of knowledge to share, so make sure you don’t miss a minute of this fascinating episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Dom reflects on his 10-year entrepreneurial journey and how he founded Onfolio (02:22) The reasons why Dom decided to leave Human Proof Designs (08:56) A breakdown of what Onfolio offers, and how it has evolved over the years (14:20) The criteria Dom looks at when buying a business for his portfolio (19:05) How Dom grew a $1.1 million business’s net profit by 50% in three months (24:31) The pros and cons of cross-business synergies and operating leverage (26:53) How Dom has structured his Onfolio team to make the best use of their skills (29:41) How Dom balances marketing the businesses in his portfolio vs marketing Onfolio (33:27) Why Dom decided to list Onfolio publicly and what the process involved (35:22) Dom’s goals for Onfolio moving forward (40:41) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Onfolio Human Proof Designs Empire Flippers Capital Before The Exit by Dan Andrews Ahrefs Semrush Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn valuable entrepreneurial lessons from a 10-year industry veteran!

When creating content for SaaS sites, “build it and they will come” is no longer an effective strategy.  In today’s competitive landscape where Google Algorithms rule the roost, SaaS owners need to employ clever SEO techniques to make sure they drive the right traffic to their content.  According to Alan Silvestri, link-building or “digital PR” is one of the most effective ways to get eyes on your content and boost your brand recognition. Alan is the Founder and CEO of Growth Gorilla, an agency that provides high-quality, no-nonsense content distribution and link-building outreach for SaaS companies. In this episode, Alan walks us through the tried and tested framework he uses to build high-converting links and how to modify this framework to suit the needs of different businesses.  Link-building doesn’t exist in a black hole, and if you want the best results, you’ll need to employ additional marketing and social media strategies to support your link-building efforts. According to Alan, “Effective link building starts with the preparation you do before you even start building links. The first thing, which is often overlooked, is to make sure that your content is top-notch. Then, focus on optimizing your internal linking structure because that can really help to make the most out of the links that you build.” Alan also warns that not all backlinks are good, explaining the desirable qualities and red flags SaaS owners should keep an eye out for, and why quality trumps quantity every time. If your blog content isn’t getting the recognition it deserves, then take note of Alan’s expert advice on how to open the traffic floodgates and build brand authority through strategic link building. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Alan shares insights into his background and how he ended up working in the SaaS industry (02:51) The unique challenges SaaS companies face when it comes to link building (08:33) The framework Alan uses to build links for SaaS businesses (11:11) How Alan adjusts his framework to suit individual business needs (16:14) The red flags SaaS owners should be aware of when it comes to link building (17:45) The effectiveness of quality vs quantity (22:28) The common link-building mistakes SaaS owners make (24:03) Alan’s take on the power of social media vs SEO for building brand authority (27:12) The interesting trends Alan has seen in the SEO industry (31:09) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Growth Gorilla Growth Gorilla Chrome extension Pitchbox Ahrefs Hunter.io Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to use link-building to drive more customers to your blog content!

When it comes to navigating the twists and turns of acquiring a business, particularly one in the 7-figure range, even the most seasoned entrepreneurs often find themselves in unfamiliar territory.  In this episode, Nate Ginsburg, a 10 + year online entrepreneur and investor gives us a behind-the-scenes look into his 7-figure acquisition of Centurica, a due diligence service that guides buyers through the complexities of assessing and purchasing web-based businesses. Nate walks us through the biggest pressure points of the acquisition, including how he approached the previous owner with an offer to purchase Centurica, how he financed the deal, and the support structure made available to him as a buyer.  He shares the biggest lessons he learned from the purchase and reveals the advice he would give himself if he had to do it all over again. According to Nate,  “My advice to buyers is, during your due diligence, spend some time looking into the nitty gritty parts of the operation to understand the deliverables you’ll have to build out when you take over the business. You should also try to engage the seller in as long of a transition and support period as possible.” We also dive into the different categories and components of buyer due diligence, how to overcome key-person risk, and we break down the hidden risks and opportunities that buyers can uncover with the right research.  If you’re considering buying an online business you can’t afford to miss out on Nate’s first-hand knowledge of the ins and outs of the acquisition process. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Nate walks us through his entrepreneurial background (02:14) A brief overview of Centurica and why Nate was inspired to acquire the business (06:30) Nate walks us through how he went about acquiring Centurica (09:22) The SBA loan process and how Nate determined the value of Centurica (12:41) Key-person risk and importance of hiring the right team (15:33) The different categories and components of due diligence (29:54) Hidden risks and opportunities that can be uncovered during buyer due diligence (34:40) Why online businesses are a great investment (36:31) The biggest changes Nate has seen in the online business industry over the past few years (37:33) The advice Nate would give himself if he started his online journey all over again (40:13) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Centurica SellerPlex Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn the importance of buyer due diligence when acquiring an online business. 

This week we revisit one of our most eye-opening episodes where we learn first-hand what it's like to buy and sell a 7-figure online business. Many entrepreneurs dream of making a seven-figure exit from their online businesses, but few people understand the logistics, high emotion, and intense negotiations that go into a successful sale.  In this episode, we'll have a round table with the buyer and seller from a recent seven-figure deal to give you some unique insights into what it's really like to buy and sell an online business with Empire Flippers.  The seller, Wilson Dos Santos, owned a rapidly growing FBA business and was ready to quit the rat race to enjoy the spoils of his hard work. The buyer, well-known FBA aggregator Thrasio, represented by Acquisitions Manager Kevin Flaherty, saw the business as a prime opportunity for investment.  Wilson walks us through his journey as a seller, explaining what prompted him to sell his business at the height of its success, the ins and outs of the listing and negotiation process, and ultimately, how his life has changed for the better since selling the business.  Kevin gives us an insider’s perspective on what kind of FBA business catches the eyes of aggregators, how Thrasio vets potential acquisitions, and how they structure their offers to stand out from the competition. If you’re considering buying or selling an online business, you don’t want to miss a second of this special behind-the-scenes episode! Topics Discussed in this episode: Wilson shares a picture of the business he sold (4:12) The shadow of success - the stress that comes with building a profitable business (6:12) The moment Wilson realized his business had outgrown him (7:43) Wilson walks us through the valuation process (12:56) Why Thrasio enjoys working with Empire Flippers (15:02) What qualities will make your business attractive to an aggregator? (16:29) The high emotions when a seller's business goes live on our marketplace (21:23) The metrics Thrasio looks at when vetting a potential business acquisition (24:20)  Vetting potential buyers and the negotiation process (27:58) What made Thrasio’s offer stand out from the rest (31:51) Why Wilson’s business caught Thrasio’s attention (33:54) How Wilson’s life has changed since he sold his business (36:53) The benefits of using a broker when selling your business (44:32) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Free valuation tool Schedule a call with one of our expert sales advisers Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to take a sneak peek at the Empire Flipper’s buy and sell process!

While Greg gets his bearings after weeks of travel, we revisit another of our most popular episodes. Successfully scaling one online business is hard enough, but building out an entire portfolio of businesses is a challenge few entrepreneurs are able to overcome.  Not only did Simon Treulle knock this challenge out of the park, but he achieved this entrepreneurial milestone before the age of 24!  Simon is the founder of Pangolia, a business with multiple high-value brands and content sites under its umbrella. In this episode, Simon explains how building a strong network of mentors and fellow entrepreneurs helped him accelerate his success, and why maintaining good relationships with suppliers is key. According to Simon, “If you want to grow your content site, build good relationships with your affiliate managers. They are humans and they are in the business of relationships. Talk, help each other, and you’ll see your business grow.” Simon gives us insights into his entrepreneurial journey, including what inspired him to move from Denmark to Chaing Mai, the epicenter of SEO, when he was just 19. He walks us through the hard work and sacrifice that helped him achieve success, and why he chose to hone in on the pet niche when building out his portfolio. Speaking of his portfolio, Simon also discusses how he transitioned from building sites into buying them, what he looks for in new business acquisitions, and the benefits of consolidating multiple small websites into one big site. He also explains why he made the jump into eCommerce through his latest acquisition, Hepper, and reveals how he grew Hepper from 100 visitors per day to 40.000 readers per day.  If you want to know how to make the leap from owning one business to owning several, this episode is the perfect place to start! Topics Discussed in this episode: Simon walks us through his experience entering the world of online business (02:14) Why Simon decided to build a portfolio of businesses in the pet niche (12:14) How Simon transitioned from owning one business to running several (14:17) The benefits of running eCommerce and content site businesses in synergy (16:36) What qualities Simon looks for in a new business acquisition (18:46) How Simon adapted to running an eCommerce business alongside his content sites (23:53) How Simon grew the traffic on his eCommerce site from 100 daily visitors to 40,0000 (27:11) The key to successfully running multiple businesses simultaneously (31:22) Simon’s advice to entrepreneurs looking to replicate his success (32:04) Simon reveals what’s next, and his plans for growing his businesses further (37:23) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Pangolia Hepper Ahrefs Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to grow one content site into a powerful portfolio of online businesses. 

Greg has spent the last few weeks traveling around the US attending several conferences, so he was unable to record a new episode this week. Instead, we'll be revising one of our favorite episodes where Sarah chatted to Codie Sanchez about how to build wealth the unconventional way.  On their journey towards financial freedom, many investors hone in on assets like real estate and stocks, often overlooking the power of purchasing online businesses. Buying unconventional businesses is contrarian investor Codie Sanchez’s bread and butter. Codie has acquired a personal empire of cash-flowing assets across multiple business models. She teaches investors how to do the same as the founder of Contrarian Thinking, an educational resource where investors and entrepreneurs can learn about how to create an ocean of wealth through different income streams. In this episode, Codie explains why buying businesses is a great way to fast-track your way to financial freedom. She walks us through the first steps to diversifying your income through online business acquisitions and the common mistakes many entrepreneurs make when trying to achieve financial independence. According to Codie, “The number one reason people don't achieve financial freedom is they do not spend the time thinking about it, they do not spend the time learning about it, and then they do not spend the time taking action on it.” Codie also discusses the philosophy behind being a contrarian investor, and how to effectively manage a portfolio of businesses.  If you’re looking for ways to kickstart your journey to financial independence, you don’t want to miss a minute of this episode! Topics Discussed in this episode: What it means to be a contrarian investor (02:07) Why business ownership is a great way to achieve financial freedom (05:20) The first steps to achieving financial freedom through business ownership (09:53) The benefits of diversifying asset classes (14:48) Managing time and leadership across multiple income streams (19:53) Common mistakes investors make on their journey to financial freedom (22:08) Out of date investment advice that investors should be wary of (26:09) Current trends that are driving the investment industry (29:34) The lessons Codie has learned throughout her career (35:36) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Contrarian Thinking newsletter Contrarian Cashflow Unconventional Acquisitions business buying course Mint Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to diversify your income streams through purchasing unconventional businesses!

Building and acquiring websites is a great way to make money online. But growing these sites can be a slow process if you don’t know which levers to pull to improve your traffic and conversions.  Luckily for Zach Zorn, he quickly figured out which key areas to focus on - a discovery that lead to a 60% ROI on his website in under six months! After making a successful exit from that site, he decided to share his online business knowledge with the world.  Zach is the owner of Money Nomad, a website that provides digital entrepreneurs with tips and strategies on how to grow their businesses. Money Nomad also collaborated with Empire Flippers to open up an online business marketplace selling businesses that fall below our minimum valuation threshold.  In this episode, Zach joins us to discuss the origins of Money Nomad and how it evolved from a simple content site into a fully-fledged marketplace.  We dive into the techniques and frameworks Zach uses to grow his website portfolio, including making the best use of different monetization methods, and optimizing the website’s CRO to maximize profits. According to Zach, “When it comes to content sites, making sure you have the correct affiliate offerings and creating call-to-action buttons are quick wins that buyers can take advantage of. Literally adding blue, red, or green buttons that tell people what you want them to do really helps with conversions. If possible, you should also update your theme to a faster, cleaner theme.” Zach also walks us through his acquisition strategy, his experiences using the Empire Flippers marketplace, and the pros and cons of buying businesses privately vs through a broker. Whether you’re shopping around for your first website acquisition, or you’re an experienced content site owner, this episode is jam-packed full of valuable information that can help you accelerate your website’s growth. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Zach explains how he became involved with the online business industry (02:37) What attracted Zach to the first content site he bought from Empire Flippers (07:52) How Zach got a 60% ROI from his website in less than 6 months (09:56) The techniques and frameworks Zach uses to grow his portfolio of websites (16:22) The pros and cons of buying businesses privately vs through a broker (23:00) The evolution of the Money Nomad website and marketplace (26:40) The Money Nomad marketplace commission structure (32:07) The online business trends Zach foresees in the near future (35:05) Zach’s goals and vision for the future of Money Nomad (39:38) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Money Nomad Ahrefs Surfer SEO Short Pixel Rank Math Link Whisper Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover a few simple tips and tricks to increase your website’s traffic and conversions.

Sometimes, it’s an entrepreneur's ability to neutralize their weaknesses that paves the way to their success. By prioritizing important tasks and removing themselves from activities they aren’t skilled at or simply don’t like, entrepreneurs can focus their talents on areas of their business where they can make a measured difference.  Implementing systems like these helped Lauren Tickner turn her side hustle as a fitness coach into a 7-figure online business by the age of 21.  But Lauren didn’t stop there. She realized that the systems she used to grow her fitness coaching business could be applied to all industries.  This revelation inspired her to create Impact School, a 7-figure coaching company that helps digital entrepreneurs implement systems that allow them to free up valuable time and scale their businesses to new heights.  In this episode, Lauren joins us to discuss the advantages of systematization, the steps business owners should take to systematize their business, and how implementing systems has helped her own business thrive. According to Lauren, “As a business owner, you have to fill your weaknesses. I became so systems oriented through my own lack of organization. A big lesson for me was hiring someone who was my opposite, who could ensure that those systems were set up. But only by being honest about my weaknesses was I able to find the right person.” Lauren also sheds some light on the bad industry advice that entrepreneurs should avoid, how she diversifies her income streams without succumbing to shiny object syndrome, and some of the biggest challenges she faced when building and scaling Impact School. Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Lauren helps people detach their personal brand from their business (05:06) Lauren walks us through her origin story as an entrepreneur (07:55) Hiring people who compliment your weaknesses (13:48) How systemization can benefit entrepreneurs (15:10) The right time to implement systemization in your business’s lifecycle (18:03) The V.I.L.E. system Lauren uses to prioritize tasks (24:33) The bad advice Lauren has heard floating around the industry (29:41) How Lauren plans to diversify her income streams moving forward (39:35) How Lauren avoids shiny object syndrome when acquiring businesses (44:05) Why Lauren decided to exclude investors from her own business (50:35) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Impact School Notion Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how systems can help you scale your business without losing your freedom.

Some entrepreneurs are gifted with a talent for taking run-of-the-mill businesses to new heights and turning them into stable, cash-flowing assets.  Empire Flippers Capital offers a unique opportunity to these talented entrepreneurs - the chance to operate and grow businesses to generate profit for themselves and investors while EFC takes care of the behind-the-scenes logistics.   Mohit Tater was one of the first entrepreneurs to qualify for this opportunity. Mohit is the Founder & CEO of BlackBook Investments, a successful private equity firm that specializes in website investing. He has also been an operator for EF Capital for two investment rounds.  In this episode, we take a peek behind the curtain as Mohit sheds some light on his experiences as an EFC operator.  We discuss what drew Mohit to this opportunity, his acquisition strategy when building his EFC portfolio, and how his portfolio has performed over the last two investment rounds. Mohit walks us through the various tools and resources that EFC operators have at their disposal and shares the productivity hacks he uses to stay on top of his game as he juggles being a business owner and an operator for EF Capital. Lastly, Mohits reveals some of the sure-fire tactics he uses to boost content site revenue. According to Mohit, “When it comes to scaling content sites, the best-hidden growth opportunities often lie in plain sight. Focus on conversion rate optimization. It’s helped us get up to 80% more revenue from the same amount of traffic.” Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at how EF Capital generates profits for its investors. If you’re inspired by Mohit’s story and would like to become an operator yourself, check out the operator interest form in the links below. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Mohit shares how he became involved with online businesses (04:04) What led Mohit to become an EF Capital operator (14:53) How EF Capital operators are compensated (18:15) How raising funds differs for a Mohit’s personal business vs EF Capital (20:20) The productivity hacks Mohit uses to effectively manage his portfolio of businesses (23:50) Mohit shares insights on the type of business he operates for EF Capital (26:23) The qualities Mohit looks for in a website acquisition (29:07) How Mohit’s EF Capital portfolio has performed under his management (37:50) The milestones Mohit wants to reach as an EFC operator (42:34) Mohit’s advice to entrepreneurs looking to become operators (44:56) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Empire Flippers Capital EF Capital Operator Interest form Blackbook Investments Rich Dad Poor Dad The 4-Hour Work Week Ahrefs Surfer Copyscape Grammarly Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to be an Empire Flippers Capital operator.

The 100th episode of The Opportunity podcast is finally here! To celebrate this milestone, we’re mixing things up. This extra special episode revisits a few of our most memorable interviews to review the top 7 lessons learned from the last 100 shows.  You’ll hear many familiar voices as some of our favorite entrepreneurs and industry experts share their top tips for building, running, and scaling successful online businesses. Greg acts as our guide, walking us through each lesson and sharing his own unique insights and pearls of wisdom. One of Greg's top takeaways includes, “If you want to build wealth, don’t focus on making money today. Focus on making an experience that will create fans of yours for years to come. Because if you make enough of those fans you’re going to create a snowball effect that’ll carry you far into the future.” Join in the celebration by letting us know which episode or guest has been your favorite so far! Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family so that they can join us for the next 100 episodes where we’ll continue to uncover all of the hidden growth opportunities in the online business industry. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lesson 1: Creating a Machine of Leverage by Knowing the Value of Your Time (02:07) Lesson 2: Learning to Love Risk to Create Wealth (10:30) Lesson 3: Spending 9 Hours Sharpening the Axe, and One Hour Cutting Down the Tree (17:07) Lesson 4: Creating Value While Respecting Your Audience’s Time (26:33) Lesson 5: Communication and Thinking in Four Degrees of Impact (31:43) Lesson 6: Why the Best Marketing Isn’t a Tactic, It’s an Experience (39:45) Lesson 7: Persistence Through Adversarial Wins (44:23) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Jobs to be Done Framework Featured Guests: Kevin Espiritu (Ep #87) Matt Diggity (Ep #23) Sushee Nzeutem (Ep #59) John Hefter (Ep #19) Emma Shermer Tamir (Ep #49) Doron Wolffberg (Ep #41) Perrin Carrell (Ep #79) Alexis Grant (Ep #84) Chelsea Cohen (Ep #42) Fabricio Miranda (Ep #91) Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul (Ep #74) Nicole Baqcai (Ep #55) Ben Donovan (Ep #71) Bill Szabrak (Ep #6) Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a trip down memory lane as we discuss the valuable lessons learned from the past 100 episodes.

As you grow your Amazon FBA business, so too should you scale your fulfillment.  Employing a 3PL service opens up a wealth of opportunities and helps shield your business from Amazon inventory limits, stockout penalties, and supply chain delays.  But not all 3PLs are created equal, so how do you find the right 3PL to suit your business’s unique needs? Few people are better qualified to answer this question than Taylor Smits. Taylor is an Amazon seller and the Co-founder of My FBA Prep, a SaaS-based 3PL service that helps eCommerce brands scale their operations by streamlining logistics and fulfillment. In this episode, we dissect the eCommerce supply chain. Taylor explains the different fulfillment options available to FBA sellers and the common pain points sellers encounter when prepping, packing, and shipping their inventory to Amazon warehouses.   We discuss the many benefits of outsourcing fulfillment and outline the important questions sellers should ask when choosing a 3PL. According to Taylor,  “As an Amazon seller, the biggest question to ask a 3PL service is “What’s the turnaround time for getting inventory prepped and into Amazon warehouses.” That time period is going to directly affect your cash flow cycle. It’s also important to ask if they have experience working with businesses similar to yours so that you know they can meet your expectations.” This interview will provide you with the information you need to break free of your fulfillment restrictions and watch your FBA business thrive! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Taylor’s entrepreneurial journey and how he founded My FBA Prep (03:33) The difference between first, second, and third-party logistics (12:37) How Taylor got a foot in the door with large eCommerce clients (20:26)  The questions sellers should be asking 3PL service providers before hiring them (25:05) The trends Taylor is seeing in the current eCommerce fulfillment ecosystem (41:38) The biggest obstacle Taylor faced when building and growing My FBA Prep (48:13) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  My FBA Prep Netsuite Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to get the most out of your 3PL fulfillment!

It’s no secret that Amazon’s marketplace is growing incredibly quickly. With so many new brands entering the fray, how can sellers make their listings stand out in such a saturated market? For Mina Elias, a 7-figure Amazon seller, the answer lay in making efficient use of Amazon’s advertising platforms. As his expertise in this area grew, so did requests from fellow sellers asking Mina to optimize their advertising campaigns.  This inspired Mina to create Trivium Group, an Amazon advertising agency that specializes in PPC and DSP advertising campaigns, helping sellers get their products in front of shoppers, earn more money, and grow their businesses. In this episode, Mina joins us to discuss Amazon DSP campaigns, an often overlooked advertising option. He guides us through the differences between DSP and PPC campaigns, the best time for businesses to start making use of DSP, and the risks and rewards of using this promotional tool. We also dive into the secrets behind Mina’s entrepreneurial success, including how he grew his business from 3 employees to 30 in one year and the systems he uses to help him manage his team. According to Mina,  “The number one hack I’ve figured out as a business owner is that using consultants is a great time-saving shortcut that can help you grow your business incredibly fast. For example, I can learn how to do Google Ads in three months, but with just six one-hour consultations with a Google Ads consultant, I can be just as good.” If you want the inside scoop on how to create a winning Amazon DSP strategy, then this is an episode you don’t want to miss out on!  Want a free PPC audit from Trivium? Follow the link below to learn more. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Mina discusses his background and how he became involved with Amazon (02:55) The benefits of attending business conferences (11:14) An explanation of Amazon DSP and how it differs from PPC (19:05) The criteria sellers need to meet in order to use Amazon DSP (24:35) How long do you need to run DSP ad campaigns before they become profitable? (30:26) How to segment your DSP marketing funnel (33:40) The success stories Mina has witnessed DSP have on Amazon brands (38:40) Why Mina grew his team from 3 people to 30 in one year (41:44) The key to hiring the right person for the job (46:04) The lessons Mina wishes he know when first starting out on Amazon (55:14) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors  Trivium Group Free PPC audit from Trivium CXL Digital Marketing Courses Zoom Slack Notion Salesforce Helium 10 Data Dive Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to grow your Amazon business using DSP campaigns.

International expansion is a great way to scale your Amazon business, but many sellers don’t speak the local language of the market they are trying to infiltrate.  To solve this problem, sellers use software like Google Translate to help them translate their existing sales copy, but according to Jana Krekic, this approach often hurts sellers more than it helps them.   Jana is the founder and CEO of YLT Translations, an agency that helps Amazon sellers translate their listings, sales copy, and keyword research to suit various foreign markets. Jana believes that human-based translations help sellers to better navigate the nuances of foreign languages in a way that software cannot.  In this episode, we discuss the language differences that often trip sellers up, the pros and cons of using AI to generate your sales copy, and the international rules and regulations sellers should be aware of. We also discuss the risks and rewards of international expansion, which countries to expand into first, and the steps sellers should take to ensure a smooth transition into foreign marketplaces. According to Jana, “If you want to enter an international Amazon marketplace, the number one thing you should do is market research. That is crucial. After that, you should focus on creating keyword-driven content. The Amazon content rules are less strict in Europe than in the US, so you can use that to your advantage.”  Lastly, Jana shares some insights into Amazon's expansion plans, including the new countries they will be launching marketplaces in, and the opportunities this creates for Amazon sellers around the world.  If you have set your sights on global expansion, then listen in to this conversation to find out how to conquer foreign Amazon marketplaces. Topics Discussed in This Episode: The services that YLT Translations offers Amazon sellers (03:22) Jana walks us through her background and entrepreneurial journey so far (05:34) How AI competes with human-based translations (11:13) The opportunities Amazon sellers can tap into by expanding internationally (16:55) Nuances other than languages differences that sellers should be aware of (28:39) International rules and regulations that often trip sellers up (34:14) New Amazon marketplaces that will be opening in the coming year (39:14) The foundation's sellers should have in place before they expand internationally (40:34) Risks sellers should be aware of when moving into foreign FBA marketplaces (44:43) The European countries you should expand into first (48:21) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace YLT Translations Helium 10 Data Dive Tools Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to adjust your Amazon listings to suit international marketplaces.

It’s been a tough year for the online business industry. Competition remains steep, aggregators are battening down the hatches, and Google algorithm updates continue to plague entrepreneurs.   But Greg Elfrink, the Director of Marketing at Empire Flippers, believes that these challenges hide a plethora of golden opportunities just waiting to be seized by eagle-eyed entrepreneurs.  In this episode, Greg explains how online business owners can build a moat around their businesses to help them ride out the storm and outlast the competition. He discusses how AI will impact marketing and content creation moving forward, and the best way to shield your business from pesky algorithm updates. According to Greg, “The number one thing you can do to protect your business from Google algorithm updates is to build an audience you retain. So, whether you’re growing an affiliate site or an eCommerce store - build an email list. That is your biggest asset that the algorithms can’t do anything about.” Greg also shares his expert marketing knowledge, revealing the latest clever marketing trick that caught his attention, the bad marketing advice you should avoid, and some quick wins that will take your marketing efforts from good to great. If you're looking for the inside scoop on the current state of the online business industry, then this is the episode for you. We close out the show with an exciting announcement about the future of the podcast, so be sure to listen to the end of the episode! Topics Discussed in This Episode: The events that impacted the online business industry in 2022 (04:24) The opportunities to be found in the doom and gloom (08:17) What the online business landscape looks like for sellers (10:37) How to protect your business from Google algorithm updates (17:56) How AI will impact content creation (22:28) The most recent clever marketing strategy that caught Greg’s attention (27:20) The challenges online entrepreneurs are facing at the moment (30:20) The quick marketing wins business owners can use to move the needle (33:54) Bad marketing advice you should avoid (38:23) An exciting change to The Opportunity podcast (48:28) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Descript SparkToro Affiliate World Conferences Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn about the latest industry opportunities you can take advantage of!

On the surface, discounts may seem like a great way to boost sales, but over time they erode your profits and can have a negative effect on consumers’ perception of your brand. So, if not discounts, what tool can you use to entice consumers to increase their average spend? Andrew Forman believes donations are the ideal incentive. Andrew is the founder and CEO of Givz, a tool that gives eCommerce sellers instant access to hundreds of different charitable donation incentives without the endless red tape and paperwork.  In this episode, Andrew explains how replacing discounts with donations increases conversion rates and boosts average order value. It also enhances customer loyalty by helping brands to be more authentic and socially conscious. According to Andrew,   “Discounts hurt growth and come straight off your bottom line. More importantly, you run the risk of becoming known as a “discount brand” or becoming reliant on discounts to drive sales. Alternatively, donation incentives help to increase your average order value and drive social impact in a genuine and authentic way.” Andrew shares insights into the challenges brands previously faced when partnering with charitable organizations and how this inspired him to create Givz. We also discuss how the growing demand for social impact will affect the future of eCommerce, and the various tools and techniques brands can use to meet this demand.  If you want to learn how to bounce back from your discount dependency, then this is a conversation you can afford to miss out on! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Andrew walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (02:36) What inspired Andrew to create Givz (06:23) Andrew explains the service that Givz provides (08:17) How Givz helps businesses increase engagement, ROI, and more (16:57) The “discount drug” and why brands should move away from discounts (21:39) Various ways eCommerce brands can be more socially conscious (23:50) How the growing demand for social impact will affect the future of eCommerce (25:45) The advice Andrew wished he had when starting out as an entrepreneur (27:46) How creating Givz has changed Andrew’s life (33:25) Real-world examples of how Givz has benefited businesses (38:39) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Givz Inveterate Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to attract new sales and increase your bottom line through the use of donation incentives!

Online businesses are a great investment, but many people haven’t been able to cash in on this opportunity because they lack the time or skills needed to effectively manage an online business. The creation of Empire Flippers Capital provided a solution to this problem, allowing investors to buy fractional shares of online businesses and gain access to this unique asset class without any of the work associated with running a business.  Now, EF Capital is offering you a one-time opportunity to own a piece of EFC itself and benefit from the company’s first-mover advantage. In this episode, Mike Vranjkovic, the Managing Partner of Empire Flippers Capital, joins us to discuss the rise of the online business industry, what makes it such a powerful asset class, and the inspiration behind the creation of EF Capital. According to Mike, “Our goal is to make online businesses an accessible asset class for individual investors. Empire Flippers Capital gives you online business exposure without the need for a specialized skill set, you don’t need to spend time running the business, and it’s an easy way to build a diversified portfolio.” Mike also discusses why EF Capital is splitting from Empire Flippers, how EFC plans to spend the growth capital raised, and the rewards investors can expect to receive from investing in EFC directly. After you’ve listened to the podcast, check out this webinar where Mike and Empire Flippers co-founder Justin Cooke dive deeper into the EF Capital story and the details of the direct raise. Topics Discussed in This Episode: How the online business industry has changed over the last few years (05:51) Empire Flippers Capital explained (08:30) The benefits of investing in online businesses over other asset classes (09:09) The barriers to entry that EF Capital seeks to remove for investors and entrepreneurs (12:39) The results achieved from EFC’s first three rounds of investments (16:36) How long investors will have to wait before seeing a return on their investment (19:09) Why EF Capital is splitting from Empire Flippers (21:56) The risks and rewards of investing in Empire Flippers Capital (28:11) Details of the raise and how EFC aims to spend the growth capital raised (31:47) The type of investors that would benefit from this investment (40:04) The effect EF Capital may have on the online business industry moving forward (43:26) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcasts Empire Flippers Marketplace Empire Flippers Capital Direct Raise Investor Interest Form Direct Raise Deal Page Direct Raise Sales Presentation Operator Interest Form EFC Investor Relations Call Link Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how you can own a piece of EF Capital and profit from its future growth!

Big brands have large budgets that allow them to harness the power of multiple marketing channels, from digital marketing to mass media. Small businesses rarely have this same advantage, so how can they leverage their limited budgets to compete with industry giants? Ian Barnard believes the answer lies in targeting future customers.  Ian is an experienced marketing strategist and the Strategy Director at Creative Business Company, a marketing agency that helps businesses accelerate growth through the power of brand marketing.   In this episode, Ian explains how big brands succeed by targeting both current and future customers, ensuring they maintain consistent demand for their products. Small businesses, on the other hand, tend to focus solely on in-market consumers. Ian reveals how small businesses can restructure their budgets to mimic the marketing strategies of big brands. According to Ian,  “The optimal split for your marketing budget is to spend 60% of your money on online video brand-building campaigns. These are wide-reaching campaigns with broad messages that target future customers. Spend the other 40% on digital marketing campaigns targeting existing customers who are in-market.” We also discuss how to create effective storytelling in modern advertising campaigns, how to maintain authenticity on social media, and the changes Ian foresees in the marketing landscape in the coming years. If you want to level up your marketing without breaking the bank, then this is an episode you don’t afford to miss out on! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Ian walks us through his marketing journey and what he’s working on today (02:42) The main marketing advantage that big brands have over smaller businesses (04:20) How small businesses can chase future customers on a limited budget (07:45) Ian walks us through the 2-4-5 digital media framework (11:41) How to create great storytelling in a modern advertising campaign (15:48) Do consumers have lower attention spans or is advertising not entertaining enough? (18:38) Why focusing on organic social media is a waste of time for small businesses (22:13) How people can leverage paid ads to boost sales (25:25) Marketing elements small businesses can put in place on a small budget (30:50) How Creative Business Company helps small businesses with their marketing (33:32) The changes Ian foresees in the marketing industry over the next few years (35:30) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Creative Business Company Creative Business Company whitepapers Born Social whitepaper Ogilvy on Advertising, David Ogilvy (1986) JWT Planning Guide, Stephen King (1974) Scientific Advertising, Claude Hopkins (1923) Good Strategy, Bad Strategy, Richard Rumelt (2011) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to build a big brand on a small marketing budget.

For many years, an inability to code has held aspiring SaaS founders back from success. Now, no-code and low-code tools are lowering the barriers to entry for entrepreneurs looking to enter the software and tech industries.  But what exactly are no-code and low-code solutions? In this episode, Lola Ojabowale gives us a thorough overview of this exciting technology. Lola is the founder of Lunch Pail Labs, a full-service digital product studio that helps clients research, build, and maintain platforms and apps using no or low-code solutions.  Lola provides a definition of what no-code and low-code actually refer to, and outlines the skills and experience entrepreneurs will need in order to use no-code tools. We discuss the various projects no-code can be used for and the limitations and downsides of choosing no-code over traditional coding solutions.  Lola also explains why she is so passionate about economic equity, and how no-code applications help to further the pursuit of this goal. According to Lola, “What’s so interesting about no-code and low-code is this “permissionlessness” that it enables. Even as a non-technical founder, you don’t have to have anybody’s say-so or permission. And that enables more folks to empower themselves and build solutions that are authentic to themselves.” If you want to dive deeper into the world of no-code, listen carefully to this conversation as Lola shares a long list of tools, educational platforms, and communities that you can use to further your no-code journey. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Lola shares insights into how she became involved with no-code platforms (03:58) An explanation of what no-code and low-code really mean (06:42) The type of projects that no code solutions could be used for (08:06) The skills and requirements needed to build no-code platforms (12:26) How LunchPail Labs assists businesses in creating no-code solutions (14:41) The downsides and limitations of no-code (18:31) Changes within the no-code space that are exciting Lola right now (23:34) The best no-code communities for beginners (26:26) The catalyst that inspired Lola to start her own business (28:10) The unique way that Lola approaches risk (33:20) Lola explains why she is so passionate about economic equity (37:43) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Lunch Pail Labs Shoutout Atlanta interview Webflow Zapier Airtable No Code Founders 100 Days of No Code  No Code Family No-Code Cheat Sheet Bubble GitHub CoPilot Makerpad On Deck No-Code Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover the many benefits of no-code and low-code solutions!

Many eCommerce sellers would argue that quality products are the key to success. This may be true, but if you don’t have enough products in stock, or are overstocked with products that aren’t selling, you will struggle to achieve the success you were hoping for.  For these reasons, Fabricio Miranda believes that inventory and supply chain optimization should a business's top priority. Fabricio is the CEO and co-founder of Flieber, a business that helps eCommerce sellers maximize sales through demand planning and inventory optimization. In this episode, Fabricio walks us through the most important aspects of a well-optimized supply chain and explains the importance of a holistic approach to inventory management. According to Fabricio, “Many retailers make the mistake of having a disconnected structure between inventory and sales. Sales teams operate blind to the future inventory impact of their actions, while inventory plays the catch-up game to keep up with what sales is doing. Every sale decision that you make has to be connected with the inventory impact of that decision.” We also discuss Fabricio’s past success as an FBA seller, including how he was able to make $10 million in sales in his first few years on Amazon. Fabricio sheds light on some of the biggest mistakes sellers make when scaling their businesses, and reveals the systems sellers can put in place to help them navigate changes in the eCommerce industry. If stock-outs are holding your business back from its full potential, then take a listen to Fabricio’s expert advice on how to solve your supply chain woes.  Topics Discussed in This Episode: Fabricio walks us through his entrepreneurial history and what he’s up to today (02:35) The secret to Fabricio’s early success as an Amazon seller (06:47) The gap in the supply chain market that inspired Fabricio to create Flieber (14:11) The consequences of poor inventory optimization (16:08) The core pillars of a well-optimized inventory and supply chain system (19:02) How eCommerce sellers can leverage real-time data to prevent future problems (24:16) The importance of a holistic approach to inventory management (27:17) The biggest mistakes sellers make when scaling their businesses (29:43) The systems sellers can put in place to navigate changes in the industry (31:33) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Flieber Anvyl Flexport  Convoy Deliverr Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to maximize your sales and profit margins through optimized inventory management.

With over 200 Google search engine ranking factors to take into consideration, it’s important to focus on the SEO strategies that will actually move the needle for your business.  Moon Hussain and Marie Ysais believe that on-site SEO will provide you with the best bang for your buck. Moon and Marie are the co-founders of Rule Your Rankings, an SEO agency that specializes in on-site and technical SEO to help website owners boost their rankings and reduce their reliance on backlinks. In this episode, Moon and Marie walk us through their 80/20 on-site and off-site SEO policy and reveal what they believe are the pillars of a good SEO strategy. We discuss the various reasons why a site may become ‘stuck” and the techniques Moon and Marie use to get these sites moving again.  The dynamic duo shares their predictions on where the SEO industry is headed and how business owners can future-proof their sites. They also shed some light on the biggest myths and misconceptions in SEO today, including false promises about instant results. According to Marie, “If you want to be successful in SEO, you need to learn how to be patient. The truth is, SEO doesn’t pay off in a week. It’s definitely a long-term strategy. Depending on how big your site is, it can take a few months to see results really kick in. Setting realistic timelines is key.” If you’re struggling to move up the rankings, or are spreading yourself thin with too many SEO techniques, then this is the episode for you. Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Moon and Marie ended working in the SEO industry (02:20) The story behind the creation of Rule Your Rankings (06:58) The philosophy behind Moon and Marie’s 80/20 approach to on-site SEO (10:20) The pillars of good on-site and technical SEO (13:40) The definition of a “stuck site” and the challenges these sites face (16:10) An example of a stuck site that Moon and Marie fixed (21:09) How Moon and Marie minimize the risk of being affected by algorithm updates (27:50) What good content building looks like with on-site optimization in mind (33:11) Moon and Marie reveal the biggest myths and misconceptions in SEO today (39:10) Moon and Marie’s predictions on where the SEO industry is headed (44:32) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Rule Your Rankings On-page.ai Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to climb the Google rankings using on-site SEO.

In order to be successful, eCommerce sellers need to have the ability to be flexible and pivot to meet new trends head-on.  In this episode, Kasey Luck explains how Shopify merchants can take advantage of the hype surrounding NFTs by minting and selling them through their Shopify stores. Kasey is the founder of Luck & Co, an agency that specializes in increasing eCommerce conversion and retention rates through SMS and email marketing. She also has a YouTube channel, where she teaches valuable industry advice, helping eCommerce sellers to boost their sales.  Kasey walks us through the various use-cases for NFTs in eCommerce, the risks and rewards of branching out into NFTs, and how the crossover between eCommerce and blockchain will affect the industry in the coming years.  We also discuss what drew Kasey to the eCommerce industry, and her passion for email and SMS marketing. She explains the power that these marketing channels can provide to business owners, and reveals the most common marketing mistakes she sees sellers make. According to Kasey, “When you start a new brand, the first thing that you should be thinking about and setting up is your traffic. If you don’t have traffic, you don't have anything else. It’s too soon to be focusing on things like email and SMS marketing if you don’t have any idea how you’re going to drive traffic to your site.” If you’re ready to step into the future of eCommerce and learn more about NFTs and the metaverse, then this is a conversation you don’t want to miss out on! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Kasey walks us through her entrepreneurial journey so far (03:28) Why Kasey decided to start her own marketing agency (06:30) Why working in the eCommerce industry really resonates with Kasey (09:26) The common marketing mistakes that trip eCommerce sellers up (13:36) Kasey explains what exactly an NFT is(18:51) How NFTs are crossing over into the eCommerce world (23:45) The fundamentals Shopify owners should have in place before launching NFTs (29:15) The biggest risks associated with selling NFTs on Shopify (32:01) The advantages available to sellers who get into the NFT game early on (33:37) The changes Kasey predicts in the eCommerce industry over the next few years (34:39) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Luck & Co ReallyGoodEmails.com Mailed.com Mailcharts.com Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to take your eCommerce business to the next level by minting and selling  NFTs through your Shopify store.

Successfully scaling your business is a great achievement, but as the size of your business grows, so does the importance of accurately tracking your financials.  Having learned the problems caused by disorganized bookkeeping the hard way, Nathan Hirsch set about co-creating EcomBalance, a service designed to simplify the way eCommerce businesses conduct their bookkeeping.  In this episode, Nathan sheds some light on the most important financial metrics to keep track of as an eCommerce seller as well as some of the biggest bookkeeping mistakes sellers make. According to Nathan, “If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, you can’t be in a position where your books are not caught up, you’re not receiving monthly reports, or you’re falling three months behind on your financials. You have to get that financial reporting system set up, and the time to do it is now, not when you’re going to sell your business.” We also dive into Nathan’s previous business FreeUp, a freelancer and virtual assistant sourcing platform. We discuss the challenges Nathan faced when scaling FreeUp, the secrets to hiring the right people for your business, and Nathan’s experience selling FreeUp for a whopping 8-figures.  As an added bonus, Nathan is offering 2 free months of bookkeeping to our podcast listeners! Simply go to the EcomBalance website and mention Empire Flippers or The Opportunity podcast to take advantage of this generous offer.  Listen in to this conversation if you want to learn how to master your financials to set your business up for future success. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Nathan walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (03:09) The unique gap in the market that Nathan addressed through FreeUp (07:45) The secrets to hiring the best person for the job (09:33) The challenges Nathan faced when scaling FreeUp (16:55) Nathan’s experience exiting FreeUp (19:15) The most important due diligence steps to follow when selling your business (21:27) Nathan’s secret to keeping his company’s books in order (24:53) The gap in the market that inspired Nathan to create EcomBalance(27:53) The crucial financial metrics to keep track of as an eCommerce seller (29:34) The biggest bookkeeping mistakes eCommerce sellers make (30:59) The key lessons Nathan has learned along his entrepreneurial journey (35:09) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace EcomBalance FreeUp Outsource School A2X Accounting Quickbooks Xero Accounting ClickUp Sit back, grab a coffee, and listen to Nathan’s expert advice on how to stay on top of your financial reporting.

How do you turn a humble content site into a multi-platform, globally recognized brand? For Kevin Espiritu, the answer lay in producing human-focused, genuinely useful content instead of churning out articles for profit. Kevin is the founder of Epic Gardening, a gardening brand with a relatively simple mission: to teach 10,000,000 people around the world how to grow plants and food. What started as just a website, is now a multi-faceted content and eCommerce brand with millions of followers on social media.  In this episode, Kevin walks us through the things he wished he had known when he first started building his business, including outsourcing labor to free up valuable time. According to Kevin, “When it comes to growing your business, knowing where your time is most valuable as the founder is the most important thing. If you have the resources, what you should be doing is either automating, delegating, hiring, or deleting things that are not as valuable as your leveraged time.” We dive into the ins and outs of Kevin’s content creation strategy, discussing the techniques and approaches that helped him attract over 10 million readers to his website last year, and over 3 million followers on his various social media channels.  Kevin also shares some insights into the future of Epic Gardening, including how he plans to use the $17.5 million in growth capital he recently raised.  Kevin’s success story is a wonderful example of the merits of a human-focused, instead of profit-driven, business strategy. Listen in to learn how to grow your brand across multiple sales and social media platforms while maintaining a cohesive brand identity.  Topics Discussed in This Episode: Kevin shares how his entrepreneurial journey started and where he is today (02:22) The origins and inspiration behind Epic Gardening (06:25) The secret sauce behind Epic Gardening’s enduring success (08:45) How Kevin approaches creating content across various channels and platforms (16:25) The biggest setbacks and challenges Kevin faced while building Epic Gardening (22:46) How Kevin identified the right time to expand into eCommerce (27:41) Why and how Kevin raised $17.5 million in growth capital  (34:53) How Kevin plans to use this growth capital to scale Epic Gardening (38:07) Why websites make such a good investment vehicle (41:09) What Kevin would do differently if he had to start Epic Gardening all over again (43:06) Kevin’s dreams for the future of Epic Gardening (49:26) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Epic Gardening Epic Homesteading   Authority Hacker Backlinko Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to successfully scale your business while remaining true to your brand identity.

One of the first lessons website owners learn is that content is the key to success. But how do you identify which topics and keywords to target to help your website gain authority? Finding the answer to this question is what Chima Mmeje, an experienced SEO copywriter and content strategist, does best. Through her company, Zenith Copy, she helps SaaS businesses rank for their target keywords and dominate the search results.  In this episode, Chima gives us the low-down on her favorite SEO content strategy - topic clusters. Topic clusters help website owners comprehensively cover their targeted topic, helping them to become an authority in their niche. Chima walks us through how to conduct research for a topic cluster, how to integrate backlinks into topic clusters and how long it takes to see measurable results from this strategy. She also discusses the power of high-quality content and the rewards of investing in a good content strategy. According to Chima, “Content can do more than just get your website to rank for a few keywords. Content can help you to build authority in the mind of your audience so that even when they're offline and are thinking of a problem, your brand name is the first thing that comes to mind.” Chima also walks us through the struggles she faced trying to break into the big leagues as a BIPOC content writer from Nigeria. She describes how the obstacles she overcame inspired her to create The Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries, an organization that provides free mentorship and training for BIPOC freelancers living in developing countries. If you’re tired of lackluster SEO results, listen in to this episode to learn how to create a comprehensive content strategy that’ll help you climb the SERPS and capture customer attention. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Chima guides us through her back story and entrepreneurial journey so far (02:07) Chima explains why not all traffic is created equally (09:20) The biggest challenges new domains face when trying to become established (10:53) The benefits of using topic clusters (13:55) The foundations you should have in place before implementing topic clusters (17:39) How to conduct research for a topic cluster (18:40) How to integrate backlinks into a topic cluster strategy (22:55) The common mistakes that entrepreneurs make when building topic clusters (25:02) How long do topic clusters take to start producing measurable results? (29:22) The challenges Chima faced when striking out on her own as a business owner (32:14) Chima explains why she started the Freelance Coalition for developing countries (34:12)  Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Zenith Copy The Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries  Ahrefs Semrush Sapphire SEO Market Muse Phrase Screaming Frog Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to drive significantly more traffic to your site through the use of topic clusters!

Well-written content alone isn’t enough to draw customers to your website. Backlinks lend authority to your site, helping it rank higher on Google, boosting your organic traffic as a result.  The problem is that many business owners battle to source quality backlinks for their websites. Farzad Rashidi struggled with this process himself. Fortunately, in every challenge lies an opportunity, and his quest to optimize his own link-building efforts led Farzad to co-create Respona. Respona is an all-in-one platform that helps entrepreneurs automate the link-building process and generate personalized outreach campaigns, removing a bottleneck from their SEO strategy.   In this episode, Farzad discusses the importance of building a strong backlink profile and how to balance content creation with link-building to drive more traffic to your site. He guides us through his three-step link-building process and explains how to differentiate a good backlink from a bad one. According to Farzad, “When soucing backlinks, the relevancy of the webpage you're getting your link from is so important. It doesn't matter if you have a ton of links from a lot of websites if none of the backlinks make contextual sense. Second, consider the quality of the website you're getting your link from. The authority of that website along with the relevancy of the webpage play a vital role in building high-quality backlinks.” Farzad also dives into the different elements that make up an effective outreach campaign, and the clever strategies and channels that entrepreneurs can use to stand out from the crowd. If you're keen to get more eyes on your content and climb those search results then this is a conversation you don’t want to miss! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Farzad guides us through his backstory and the inspiration behind Respona (02:27) The challenges people face when building a content strategy (05:29) The common mistakes people make when trying to build quality backlinks (20:25) Farzad walks us through how he goes about acquiring backlinks (22:20) Farzad’s three-step process for link-building (29:23) How to adapt your backlink strategy to suit your business model (34:20) The backlink acquisition strategy that surprised Farzad the most (35:56) How Farzad differentiates a good backlink from a bad one (40:17) How Farzad plans to scale Respona going forward (43:05) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Respona Ahrefs Semrush Clearscope Visme Marketing Strategy eBook Backlinko Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a powerful backlink profile that will help you dominate the Google search results.

We’ve all read stories and news articles about multi-million dollar businesses that have been sold and the ripple effects these acquisitions have on their respective industries.  But an exit doesn’t have to involve enormous sums of money to be meaningful.  When Alexis Grant realized that there were important acquisition stories going untold, she created They Got Acquired, a media agency seeking to redefine startup success by sharing the acquisition stories of underrepresented founders.  In this episode, Alexis joins us to discuss the inspiration behind They Got Acquired, and the ways in which she hopes to educate entrepreneurs who are preparing to sell their businesses. She also reveals the obstacles she faced building a media company from the ground up and how she has structured her business to provide value to her audience. According to Alexis, “When building a media brand, the place that I always start from is creating really high-quality content. Think about how you can create something that's valuable, because if people don't want to read it, or listen to it, or consume it, then you're not really doing yourself or them a favor.” Alexis also shares insights into her own acquisition stories, discussing the differences between an acqui-hire and an asset sale, and the lesson she learned from both experiences.  Whether you are a first-time seller or an experienced entrepreneur, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Alexis walks us through her entrepreneurial journey so far (02:26) The lessons Alexis learned from her own businesses being acquired (07:57) What inspired Alexis to create They Got Acquired (12:47) The types of success stories Alexis wants to shine a light on with They Got Acquired (15:24) The obstacles Alexis faced building a media company from the ground up (19:01) Interesting tidbits Alexis has picked up from the businesses she’s covered so far (26:03) Alexis’s advice to entrepreneurs looking to start their own media brand (31:44) How Alexis maintains efficiency to maximize her ROI (34:42) How Alexis aims to help women founders find a place at the table (37:19) Alexis’s goals for the future of They Got Acquired (39:55) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace They Got Acquired Typefully Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to successfully navigate the acquisition process.

When used correctly, PPC is a powerful tool in an Amazon seller’s arsenal. But, as a newcomer to the FBA game, it’s often hard to find the time to research and implement optimized PPC campaigns while simultaneously ensuring your business runs smoothly.  When Mina Elias first entered the Amazon marketplace, he struggled with this challenge himself. Determined to master PPC, Mina put in the hard yards and absorbed all the information he could find about advertising on Amazon.  His thirst for knowledge paid off, with Mina scaling his supplement brand, MMA Nutrition, to over seven figures. Now, Mina puts his PPC expertise to work as the founder of Trivium Group, an Amazon advertising agency that manages PPC campaigns on behalf of FBA sellers, giving business owners one less thing to worry about. In this episode, Mina discusses how his passion for PPC led him to create both Trivium Group and The PPC University, an educational platform that teaches FBA sellers how to create cost-effective and automated PPC campaigns. He reveals the core principles that make up a good Amazon PPC strategy and explains why PPC is a solid investment for businesses of all sizes.  Mina walks us through the challenges and doubts he overcame after quitting his corporate job to become an FBA seller and explains why so many entrepreneurs are attracted to the supplement niche. He also reveals the qualities that help his brand stay relevant in such a highly-competitive niche and shares the advice and tips he wishes he was given when starting out as an FBA seller. According to Mina, “Building accurate profit & loss statements is incredibly important. I wish I had done it earlier. If you're not building accurate P&Ls, it's putting you at a severe disadvantage, especially when you try to sell your business. So, find someone who is familiar with A2X and QuickBooks, hire them to teach you how everything works, and then just hire a bookkeeper to manage the whole process.” If you want to avoid common FBA stumbling blocks and learn the shortcuts to Amazon success, then this is a conversation you don’t want to miss out on! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Mina walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (01:15) How Mina broke into the supplements niche and remained competitive (10:31) What makes the supplements niche so attractive to Amazon sellers (15:21) How Mina juggles selling on Shopify and Amazon (17:17) The problems Mina encountered getting to grips with PPC as a new seller (22:18) The core principles that make up a good Amazon PPC strategy (26:18) Mina’s motivations behind starting PPC University (31:23) The advice Mina wishes he was given when starting out as an Amazon seller (39:52) Mina shares insights into his future plans (42:37) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Trivium Group  The PPC University  RankBell Helium10 DataDrive A2X  Quickbooks Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create PPC campaigns that will move the needle for your FBA business!

How would you like to make money from buying and selling online businesses without having to purchase or operate an online business of your own? This exciting prospect is now within your reach thanks to the launch of the Empire Flippers referral program. By becoming a referral partner, you can earn 20% of our commission by referring businesses that are then successfully bought or sold on the Empire Flippers marketplace. Having spearheaded the creation of the referral program, Jim Barton, the Partnerships Manager at Empire Flippers, joins us to explain the many opportunities that the referral program offers to interested entrepreneurs.  Jim provides a step-by-step guide on the different types of referrals, how referrals partners are paid, what the process of making a referral actually looks like, and the qualities we look for in a good referral. Jim explains, “The Empire Flippers referral program works in two ways. We have seller referrals where you refer somebody who wants to sell their business and buy-side referrals where you refer somebody who wants to purchase a business.  As a referral partner, you will get paid for everything your referral does with us from our two-year cookie, meaning if they buy or sell multiple businesses, you would collect referral commission on all of those.” Jim also gives us a peek behind the curtain of what it takes to create a referral program from scratch, and shares stories of the enormous success the entrepreneurs who joined our pilot program have already experienced. Whether you’re looking for a way to diversify your income, cash in on your large professional network, or leverage the traffic coming to your site, listen closely because this episode will tell you everything you need to know about the Empire Flippers referral program. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Jim walks us through how he ended up running the referral program (03:52) The motivation behind starting the Empire Flippers referral program (06:15) How our referral program differs from affiliate contracts and other payout projects (07:51) The nuts and bolts of how the Empire Flippers referral program works (11:15) The process of making a successful referral (13:08) What does, and does not, qualify as a valid referral (16:32) The different kinds of people who could benefit from the referral program (18:40) The various tools available to referral partners to track their referrals (24:16) The benefits of using the Empire Flippers referral program (27:04) The success stories Jim has already witnessed from the referral program (28:56) Jim describes his experience starting a referral program from scratch (33:23) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Sign up for the Empire Flippers referral program Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover the many advantages of Empire Flippers’ groundbreaking new referral program!

In the world of business, it’s all about who you know. But how do you connect with influential entrepreneurs and mentors when you’re just starting out? Matt Holmes made it his mission to find the answer to this question, shaking hands with venture capitalists, members of congress, and billionaires, in an effort to learn how to create powerful business relationships.  Using the knowledge he gained from this experience, Matt went on to create handshaking.com, a service that helped entrepreneurs connect with movers and shakers within their industry. Matt then pivoted the business into building and selling lead generation websites in an effort to help business owners make connections on a grander scale. In this episode, Matt joins us to share the secret sauce to forming long-lasting professional relationships, and how entrepreneurs should approach networking and building their personal brands. Matt also reveals valuable insights into the lead generation websites that he has created and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the site he recently sold on the Empire Flippers marketplace. According to Matt, “Each lead generation website needs to have a true brand. It needs a logo, it needs the same business name, and it needs proper social media everywhere, just like a real business would. It needs to be a complete brand.” As the world record holder for the longest handshake, Matt is bursting with knowledge on how to network like a pro, so listen in to learn how to form long-lasting professional relationships that will elevate your business! Topics Discussed in this episode: Matt’s entrepreneurial journey so far and the evolution of handshaking.com (03:00) The different chapters of networking that entrepreneurs need to work through (09:03) The secret to forming long-lasting professional relationships (11:05)  How Matt developed his own personal brand (12:37) How to make contact with the people you want to network with(15:32) Why Matt transitioned away from consulting into building lead generation sites (20:07) The framework Matt used to build his first lead generation website  (22:09) Matt’s experience selling his website through Empire Flippers (24:27) A behind-the-scenes look at how Matt's website has performed since the sale (26:40) Why investing in websites beats investing in real estate (31:28) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Handshaking.com Boomerang Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to make professional connections that will take your business to the next level!

What is the secret to creating the fastest-growing startup in Canada before the age of 24? For Blair Forrest, the answer lay in identifying the nexus between a common pain point for FBA business owners, and an untapped gap in the logistics market.  While Amazon helps out by delivering products to consumers, the onus is on the seller to receive, store, label, and transport the inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers. It was here that Blair identified an opportunity. Blair is the founder of AMZ Prep, an end-to-end fulfillment solution for Amazon FBA sellers. AMZ Prep stores, preps, packs, and ships inventory to Amazon on behalf of sellers, saving them precious time and resources.   In this episode, Blair joins us to discuss the common logistical pitfalls that FBA sellers experience and outlines the various ways FBA sellers can optimize their logistics. According to Blair, “A lot of businesses have a fragmented approach to logistics, which is often why they don’t get the valuation that they want, or why they're not able to scale. What turns a good seller into a great seller is optimizing their fulfillment with a solid partner that has multiple warehouses, and can expand you to other marketplaces like Shopify and Walmart.”  Blair also shares insights into how he juggled starting and scaling a business while being a full-time student, and the various lessons he has learned along the way.  If you want to learn how to structure your logistics and inventory management like an FBA all-star, then this is the episode for you! Topics Discussed in This Episode: Blair walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (03:55) How Blair juggled running a business and being a full-time student (14:30) The gap in the market that inspired Blair to create AMZ Prep (18:28) Some common pain-points Amazon Sellers are experiencing today (22:17) How to streamline your Amazon logistics (29:16)  The common mistakes FBA sellers make when it comes to logistics(36:50) The secret to Blair's success(46:20) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace AMZ Prep Notion Minimalist journaling article Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a logistics strategy that will set you up for future success. 

With Google algorithm updates regularly changing the game, what is the secret to a consistent, long-lasting SEO strategy? Perrin Carrel believes the answer lies in providing true value to your readers. Perrin is an SEO expert and co-founder of RANQ.io, a boutique SEO agency that offers a holistic approach to boosting organic traffic.  In this episode, prepare to get swept up in the highs and lows of Perrins epic SEO comeback story. He shares details of his run-ins with PBNs and the resulting fallout that crippled his first big site. He then describes the SEO techniques that allowed him to rise from the ashes and reclaim success by building his first supersite in the pet niche. According to Perrin, “The core building blocks of white hat SEO are keeping the user in mind and making link building mutually beneficial. All of the content on your site should truly serve the user and make their life a millimeter better rather than a millimeter worse.”  Perrin also talks about his personal exit strategies and sets the record straight on the various myths and misconceptions that plague the SEO industry.  Settle in for a masterclass on how to create a holistic SEO strategy that’ll keep readers coming back for more! Topics Discussed in This Episode: How Perrin got involved in the crazy world of SEO (03:20) The lessons Perrin learned from the downfall of his first content site (08:50) Perrin’s experience with black & gray hat link building tactics in today’s industry (15:10) The core building blocks of a white hat SEO strategy (18:57) The link building approach that led to the most growth on Perrin’s sites (22:32) How Perrin identified the right time to sell his previous sites (25:56) Building a content site with a future exit in mind (30:04) Why Perrin transitioned away from building sites into running his own agency (33:17) Common myths and misconceptions in the SEO industry (42:12) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Ranq.io Niche Pursuits Authority Hacker Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to build an SEO strategy that will benefit you and your readers! 

Losing money due to lost or damaged Amazon inventory is never a good feeling. The good news is, there are reimbursement systems in place to turn this negative experience into a positive for your business.  Few people know the ins and out of the reimbursement and claims process better than Yoni Mazor. Yoni is the CGO & Co-Founder of GETIDA, an auditing platform that helps Amazon FBA sellers identify and manage financial and inventory-related discrepancies. Yoni joins us to explain the reimbursement process from start to finish. He gives us a rundown of the different types of reimbursements, how to claim for a discrepancy, and the timelines associated with each type of claim.  Yoni reveals that around 50% of Amazon sellers are not even aware that the reimbursement system exists, and are missing out on important benefits as a result. According to Yoni, “For every 100 units that you ship to Amazon's fulfillment centers, 1 to 3 units will experience a discrepancy. Claiming for a reimbursement on lost or damaged inventory gives you cash flow that you can invest back into advertising, sourcing, launching new products, etc. It's an opportunity for you to take action and help your business to get what it's owed.” Yoni also gives us insights into the current Amazon FBA landscape and the changes and trends that he predicts for the coming year. As an added bonus, Yoni has generously offered our listeners $400 in free reimbursements! All you have to do is register on the GETIDA website using the link below. Topics Discussed in This Episode: Yoni’s entrepreneurial journey and how it led him to co-found GETIDA (03:00) How Yoni scaled his previous FBA business to $100 million in annual revenue (07:52) How GETIDA built a good relationship with Amazon seller support (12:26) The benefits of seeking out reimbursements from Amazon (17:12) The different types of reimbursements that FBA sellers can claim for (25:23) The steps that Amazon sellers need to follow in order to apply for reimbursement (29:26) How claiming for reimbursements can benefit your business in the long run (33:20) The biggest pain points that FBA sellers should be aware of today (37:49) Yoni discusses his future plans for GETIDA (40:56) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace GETIDA Get $400 in reimbursements from GETIDA Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to recoup lost revenue on missing or damaged inventory.

How do you get consumers to sit up and pay attention to your brand on social media?  You could hire an influencer to promote your product to their followers, but how do you track down the right influencer for your specific brand? As an Amazon seller himself, this frustrating problem inspired William Gasner to co-create Stack Influence. Stack Influence is an online platform that connects Amazon FBA brands with micro-influencers. Receiving the brand's product as payment, the micro-influencers spread the word about FBA brands through social media posts, product feedback, and video testimonials.  William joins us to discuss the challenges Amazon sellers face when building a recognizable brand identity and the many benefits of marketing through micro-influencers. He dives into the core elements that make up a strong brand identity, and some of the common mistakes FBA sellers make when promoting their products on social media. We also discuss the difficulties of marketing visually unappealing products, and Wiliam shares some clever tips and tricks for how to work around this problem. According to William, “When it comes to social media marketing, I usually recommend to brands whose products aren't the most exciting or visually appealing to get creative with adding extra value to your product. Basically, add something to your product that is universally valued and exciting to promote.” William also sheds some light on his journey as a founder, including some of the obstacles he faced when co-creating Stack Influence and the rather unconventional method he used to raise growth capital. If you want to learn how to light a fire under your brand’s social media presence, then you’re in the right place! Topics Discussed in this episode: William sheds light on Stack Influence, and the problems it solves for FBA sellers (05:00) What is a micro-influencer? (09:08) The core elements of a strong brand identity(12:18) Why a micro-influencer strategy can be effective for businesses of all sizes (15:27) How to create a winning social media strategy for a visually unappealing product (18:40) The common mistakes sellers make when marketing on social media (21:59) Why a micro-influencer strategy is a great solution on all ecommerce platforms (24:55) How the growing social commerce trend has affected social media marketing (27:09) The obstacles William faced in getting Stack Influence off the ground (29:43) How William raised growth capital through Clubhouse (30:58) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to spread the word about your FBA brand through the power of micro-influencers!

Wouldn’t it be great to get a sneak peek into the future to gain insights into who your most loyal customers will be, which products they’ll buy, and how much profit you’ll make as a result? Metrics like customer lifetime value (LTV) and customer acquisition costs (CAC) can help you to predict these outcomes, if you can find a way to access this precious data, that is.  Amazon is notorious for safeguarding customer data, but Rael Cline has found a way to access and interpret this information on behalf of Amazon sellers. Rael is the co-founder and CEO of Nozzle, a tech platform that helps FBA sellers unlock deep insights about their brand performance. In this episode, Rael discusses the difficulties that Amazon sellers face in trying to build a brand identity without fully understanding their audience. We walk through why an AI-based platform is the ideal solution to gathering and interpreting Amazon data, and how FBA sellers can use this information to get ahead of their competition. He also reveals how to use these metrics to grow your business. According to Rael,  “There are three levers you can use to help increase your customer lifetime value. Getting customers to buy again is the biggest thing. Increasing the average order value is another way of increasing your LTV, and another way of doing it is getting them to buy more frequently.” Rael also shares insights into the data that Amazon aggregators find most valuable, and how they use that information to inform their buying decisions. Whether you’re looking to enhance your customer experience, optimize your product offering, or simply learn more about the nuances of AI, this episode has it all! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Rael made his way into the world of online business (02:23) The challenges Amazon sellers face when trying to access their customer data (09:24) How Rael created Nozzle to help FBA sellers overcome these challenges (12:05) The various ways Amazon sellers can optimize their LTV and CAC (16:00) The Amazon data sets that FBA sellers are most surprised by (21:54) How Rael harnessed AI to create a unique solution for gathering and interpreting Amazon data (25:14) The Amazon data sets that aggregators hone in on when eyeing a new acquisition (34:04) Rael’s predictions on the upcoming Amazon trends in 2022 (38:31) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to leverage your customer data to maximize your business.

Successfully scaling one online business is hard enough, but building out an entire portfolio of businesses is a challenge few entrepreneurs are able to overcome.  Not only did Simon Treulle knock this challenge out of the park, but he achieved this entrepreneurial milestone before the age of 24!  Simon is the founder of Pangolia, a business with multiple high-value brands and content sites under its umbrella. In this episode, Simon explains how building a strong network of mentors and fellow entrepreneurs helped him accelerate his success, and why maintaining good relationships with suppliers is key. According to Simon, “If you want to grow your content site, build good relationships with your affiliate managers. They are humans and they are in the business of relationships. Talk, help each other, and you’ll see your business grow.” Simon gives us insights into his entrepreneurial journey, including what inspired him to move from Denmark to Chaing Mai, the epicenter of SEO, when he was just 19. He walk us through the hard work and sacrifice that helped him achieve success, and why he chose to hone in on the pet niche when building out his portfolio. Speaking of his portfolio, Simon also discusses how he transitioned from building sites into buying them, what he looks for in new business acquisitions, and the benefits of consolidating multiple small websites into one big site. He also explains why he made the jump into eCommerce through his latest acquisition, Hepper, and reveals how he grew Hepper from 100 visitors per day to 40.000 readers per day.  If you want to know how to make the leap from owning one business to owning several, this episode is the perfect place to start! Topics Discussed in this episode: Simon walks us through his experience entering the world of online business (02:14) Why Simon decided to build a portfolio of businesses in the pet niche (12:14) How Simon transitioned from owning one business to running several (14:17) The benefits of running eCommerce and content site businesses in synergy (16:36) What qualities Simon looks for in a new business acquisition (18:46) How Simon adapted to running an eCommerce business alongside his content sites (23:53) How Simon grew the traffic on his eCommerce site from 100 daily visitors to 40,0000 (27:11) The key to successfully running multiple businesses simultaneously (31:22) Simon’s advice to entrepreneurs looking to replicate his success (32:04) Simon reveals what’s next, and his plans for growing his businesses further (37:23) Mentions: Empire Flippers Podcast Empire Flippers Marketplace Pangolia Hepper Ahrefs Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to grow one content site into a powerful portfolio of online businesses. 

Creating a quality product is the first step to achieving Shopify success. But generating a base of loyal, engaged customers through an effective marketing strategy, is what will take your Shopify store from good to great. As the founders of Chelsea & Rachel Co, one of only five woman-owned Shopify-Plus Preferred Partners in the world, Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul are experts in this arena. With a combined 30+ years of experience between them, they create powerful development and marketing strategies that accelerate the growth of Shopify stores. Chelsea and Rachel discuss how Shopify differs from other eCommerce platforms, and how to leverage these nuances to create a marketing strategy that will set you apart from your competitors. They reveal the common mistakes sellers make when marketing on Shopify and explain how to deepen customer engagement when growing a Shopify brand. According to Rachel, “The most important piece of an eCommerce marketing strategy is to make sure that your customer experience is seamless. A lot of times brands are looking at KPIs, growth numbers, and revenue. All of those things are critically important, but you cannot neglect the number one most important metric  - customer experience.”  Chelsea and Rachel also share insights into how they’ve carved out a space for themselves in the eCommerce industry as women-led founders, and walk us through how they’ve helped well-known food and wellness brands scale their customer base and solidify their brand identity. Topics Discussed in this episode: What inspired Chelsea and Rachel to start a digital marketing agency together (02:19) How Ecommerce marketing has changed and evolved over time (04:42) The nuances of Shopify versus other eCommerce platforms (10:31) Chelsea explains which Shopify marketing channels have the best ROI (14:52) How to implement an effective Shopify marketing strategy(20:05) How to deepen customer engagement when growing a Shopify brand (27:55) Common pitfalls Shopify sellers should avoid (31:29) The real-world results Chelsea and Rachel’s marketing strategies have achieved (34:47) Why Chelsea and Rachel decided to focus on food and wellness brands (38:58) How Chelsea and Rachel have carved a space for themselves in Ecommerce as women-led founders (42:17) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to accelerate your Shopify sales using a well-crafted marketing strategy.

What if I told you that there’s a secret ingredient that can help you sell almost any business (yes, even the declining ones) in a fraction of the time?  I’m not referring to huge discounts or expert-level negotiation tactics. I’m talking about the often underestimated element of trust.  Doron Wolffberg, SEO expert and co-founder of Cliverse, has built and sold many content sites and has made buyer-seller trust the central focus of these deals.  In this week’s episode, Doron shares how transparency and trust helped him sell a content site at full listing price to a first-time buyer in just one day! He explains how this tactic not only preserves your reputation as a seller but also equips the buyer with the necessary information to take your business to the next level. Doron also dives into the key focus areas for building a successful content site and reveals how to prepare your site for a speedy and profitable sale. According to Doron, “Before you sell your site, make sure that you fix any faults from a technical standpoint. When buyers look at your site, they look at things like page speed. So even though it's not a huge ranking factor, if buyers see your site has a low score, it might turn them down a bit.” If you’re looking for ways to scale your content site or tips on how to market your site to sellers, this is the episode for you! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Doron got his start in the online business world (01:58) Doron breaks down the sites in his portfolio and his current projects (03:11) The benefits of being in the content site industry (04:12) Details about the business Doron recently sold on Empire Flippers (06:08)  The importance of seller transparency during an acquisition (11:54) How to market a flawed business fairly (16:09) A common factor that buyers neglect to think of during the sales process (19:22) Why quality should be the core focus for content site owners in 2022 (22:03) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to set your content site up for a profitable, and fair, sale.  

How do you make the leap from identifying a great business opportunity, to forging a path for yourself in that particular industry? As a young entrepreneur, Sujan Patel quickly identified that SaaS businesses were growing at an astonishing rate, and made it his mission to break into the space. Fast forward to today, Sujan is the founder and owner of multiple SaaS businesses, including Mailshake, an email outreach tool that helps turn cold prospects into warm leads. In this episode, Sujan guides us through the ups and downs of his entrepreneurial journey and shares the inspiration behind Mailshake, the catalyst for his SaaS success. He shares his expert insights and growth tactics for how to stay competitive in an ever-evolving industry. According to Sujan, “Everyone talks about this silver bullet of growth, but there's no one silver bullet. It's all compounding effort. You find one lever and you pull it and it works. Then you find ways to scale it and keep trying to find more. It's just consistency, time, and testing.” As a veteran marketer, Sujan dives into how to build a moat around your business to protect it from competitors, and how to build a word-of-mouth engine that will boost your sales and brand identity. He also explains why he moved away from building businesses into buying established businesses instead. If you’re an aspiring SaaS entrepreneur, you don’t want to miss out on this roadmap to creating a sustainable and scalable SaaS business! Topics Discussed in this episode: Sujan walks us through how he ended up becoming a SaaS founder (02:16) The evolution of the Saas industry and where it’s headed (07:25) The inspiration behind Mailshake (12:09) The obstacles Sujan faced when trying to get Mailshake off the ground (16:31) The framework Sujan developed to successfully launch new SaaS ventures (19:57) Why Sujan transitioned into buying SaaS businesses instead of building them (23:13)  Why a word-of-mouth engine is such a powerful marketing tool (28:14) The biggest myths and misconceptions within the SaaS industry (35:55)  How to navigate the future of the SaaS industry safely (39:47) The lessons Sujan learned while writing his book, 100 days of Growth (43:59) Sit back, grab a coffee, and discover the framework for building a powerful SaaS portfolio.

How do you transform your FBA brand from a side hustle that simply helps you get by, into a powerhouse business designed to last?  Ben Donovan has discovered the secrets to answering this important question. Ben is a 7-figure Amazon FBA seller and the founder of Brand Builder University, an educational resource that teaches entrepreneurs how to launch profitable Amazon FBA brands. Ben gives us the lowdown on why an increasing number of FBA entrepreneurs are looking to sell their businesses. He also explains why building your business with a mindset to sell will set you up for greater success down the line.  Ben sells on 9 different Amazon marketplaces across North America and Europe. He explains how external influences like the pandemic and Brexit have affected European FBA businesses, as well as the benefits of selling in multiple marketplaces. According to Ben, “If you're selling in the US, you could launch in Canada, or in the UK on your very next inventory order. It’s super easy and it could add 20 or 30% to your sales, if not more, and you don't have to find a new product, supply chain, or supplier.” Ben also walks us through how to set up an effective exit planning strategy and explains why he’s planning on shifting away from building online businesses, into buying them.  If you’d like to take a deeper dive into Ben’s extensive FBA knowledge, check out his new course, The FBA Freedom Challenge, in the links below. Topics Discussed in this episode: How Ben has built his business portfolio to its current level (05:11) How the pandemic and ecommerce boom have affected the European marketplace (08:45) The pros and cons of selling in the European marketplace (10:59) The power of community when building out an Amazon FBA business (14:05) Why more and more FBA sellers are thinking about exiting their business (17:28) The differences between building a business to keep and building one to sell (20:53) The lifestyle that a passive FBA business can give you (27:13) How to structure an effective exit planning strategy (30:21) The inspiration behind Brand Builder University (35:19) Why Ben plans to start buying businesses instead of building them from scratch (41:32) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create an FBA business that will grow into a profitable asset!

With the ecommerce industry now booming in Europe, new aggregators are rising up to forge a place for themselves in this highly competitive arena. But what are these aggregators doing to set themselves apart from the crowd? In this episode, we’ll be talking to Hanna Nowotzin, Head of Sourcing at Factory 14, a growing European FBA and ecommerce aggregator with a focus on sustainability and brand excellence. Hanna gives us a rare behind-the-scenes look at the EU ecommerce landscape and the changes she has seen shape the industry in the last few years. She explains what qualities she looks for in a new acquisition, what expansion opportunities make sense within the European market, and why Factory 14 places so much importance on multi-channel expansion. According to Hanna, “Sales channel expansion through bolt-on acquisitions is an excellent way to significantly accelerate revenue growth as well as lower your specific marketplace risk.” Hanna also gives us some valuable insights into the emerging trends that may impact the FBA and ecommerce industry in the coming year.  So, if you want to learn what it takes to build a successful FBA business in Europe, grab a notebook and listen in on Hanna’s excellent advice! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Hanna became involved in the world of online business acquisitions (02:22) The current state of the FBA and ecommerce marketplace in Europe (04:00) How Factory 14 differentiates itself from other aggregators (06:35) The qualities Hanna looks for in an online business acquisition (08:02) Why the business Factory 14 recently bought from our marketplace caught Hanna’s eye (12:40) How to ensure your offer stands out from the crowd during the negotiation process (14:57) Why Hanna is passionate about bolt-on acquisitions and sales channel expansion (16:57) Factory 14’s specialized program to boost the growth of new acquisitions (19:14) How businesses can make themselves more attractive to aggregators (22:05) The emerging trends that may shape the FBA industry in 2022 (24:33) Sit back, grab a coffee, and peek behind the curtain of the European FBA and ecommerce industries!

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. While an attractive website may draw consumers in, user testing is often the key to creating a memorable, user-friendly buying journey that’ll keep consumers coming back for more.  In this episode, we’re joined by user testing expert Quinn Zeda. Quinn is the founder of Conversion Crimes, an accessible and affordable user testing platform. She reveals how user testing can reduce your bounce rate and increase conversions by helping you get inside your customers’ heads. According to Quinn, “User testing reveals the why behind your website data and analytics. It helps you understand what's motivating people or what's causing friction for them. Then it's really easy to understand how to make a change or improvement on your website to solve that problem.” Quinn explains which areas of your website to focus on when performing user testing, and discusses some of the common mistakes that people make when trying to optimize their site’s usability. Quinn also gives us some insights into her journey as a SaaS founder, the lessons she learned along the way, and the various obstacles she had to overcome getting Conversion Crimes off the ground.  If you're searching for the secrets to an improved user experience and reduced churn, then look no further! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Quinn became involved in the world of online business (03:40) What inspired Quinn to start her SaaS business, Conversion Crimes (06:59) The obstacles Quinn had to overcome when launching her new business (14:38) The key lessons Quinn learned as a blossoming SaaS founder (18:59) The nuts and bolts of what user testing entails (23:41) The secrets that user testing might reveal that data just can't explain (25:52) The key areas Quinn focusses on when user testing websites (29:45) The common mistakes people make when trying to make a user-friendly site (33:44) The real-life ROI effects of user testing (34:37) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to optimize your website and improve your ROI!

On their journey towards financial freedom, many investors hone in on assets like real estate and stocks, often overlooking the power of purchasing online businesses. Buying unconventional businesses is contrarian investor Codie Sanchez’s bread and butter. Codie has acquired a personal empire of cash-flowing assets across multiple business models. She teaches investors how to do the same as the founder of Contrarian Thinking, an educational resource where investors and entrepreneurs can learn about how to create an ocean of wealth through different income streams. In this episode, Codie explains why buying businesses is a great way to fast track your way to financial freedom. She walks us through the first steps to diversifying your income through online business acquisitions and the common mistakes many entrepreneurs make when trying to achieve financial independence. According to Codie, “The number one reason people don't achieve financial freedom is they do not spend the time thinking about it, they do not spend the time learning about it, and then they do not spend the time taking action on it.” Codie also discusses the philosophy behind being a contrarian investor, and how to effectively manage a portfolio of businesses.  If you’re looking for ways to kickstart your journey to financial independence, you don’t want to miss a minute of this episode! Topics Discussed in this episode: What it means to be a contrarian investor (02:07) Why business ownership is a great way to achieve financial freedom (05:20) The first steps to achieving financial freedom through business ownership (09:53) The benefits of diversifying asset classes (14:48) Managing time and leadership across multiple income streams (19:53) Common mistakes investors make on their journey to financial freedom (22:08) Out of date investment advice that investors should be wary of (26:09) Current trends that are driving the investment industry (29:34) The lessons Codie has learned throughout her career (35:36) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to diversify your income streams through purchasing unconventional businesses!

Scaling an e-commerce business often requires large amounts of capital. Many entrepreneurs risk their financial security by bootstrapping their business without fully understanding the different funding options available to them. This is where today’s guest, Leonardo Felisberto, steps in to save the day. Leonardo is the global head of partnerships at SellersFunding, a financial platform designed to help e-commerce sellers grow and scale their businesses through effective financial management. In this episode, Leonardo discusses the obstacles e-commerce sellers have previously faced when applying for growth capital, and how modern seller funding can lower the barriers to entry into e-commerce businesses. Leonardo walks us through the key criteria he looks for when approving sellers for funding and the common mistakes sellers make when trying to raise growth capital. He also explains how to set up a practical cash flow system for your business as well as the industry trends e-commerce entrepreneurs should look out for.  If you’re searching for a reliable way to secure growth capital for your e-commerce business, then you don’t want to miss out on Leonardo’s expert advice! Topics Discussed in this episode: Leonardo’s journey into the world of e-commerce funding (02:20) How the e-commerce industry has evolved since the pandemic (04:53) Why previous funding options presented an obstacle to e-commerce sellers (07:52) How seller funding can lower the barriers to entry into e-commerce businesses (11:42) The criteria Leonardo looks for when approving sellers for funding (17:37) Common traps business owners fall into when raising capital for their business (19:42) The first steps to setting up an effective cash flow system (22:36) Real-world examples of the impact of growth capital on e-commerce businesses (27:10) The key piece of advice that e-com sellers should know when seeking funding (31:07) Trends in the e-commerce space that are exciting business owners (34:13) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to secure the growth capital that will take your e-com business to the next level!

In today’s world, almost everyone uses email. But many entrepreneurs still underestimate the power of email marketing and its ability to establish a meaningful connection with your customers.  This week’s guest is Greg Zakowicz, a veteran email marketer and the Sr. Ecommerce Expert at Omnisend, an ecommerce marketing automation platform. With 15 years of experience under his belt, Greg has witnessed firsthand the transformative power that email marketing can have on eCommerce businesses. According to Greg,  “If you sell something online, you should probably be sending marketing emails. Otherwise, you’re leaving money on the table.” In this episode, Greg discusses how email has evolved over time and how to set up a successful, automated email marketing strategy. He explains how to use email marketing in each step of the buyer journey and how it can plug the holes that social media marketing can’t fill.  He also walks us through how to breathe life back into a dormant email list and some of the common email marketing pitfalls that trip up eCommerce business owners.  If your list of email subscribers is simply gathering dust, you don’t want to miss out on Greg’s valuable insights! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Greg got his start in the world of email marketing (01:16) How email marketing has evolved over time and why it remains relevant (06:49) Why email marketing is an essential tool for e-commerce businesses (14:39) The foundations of setting up a successful email marketing strategy (21:16) How to revitalize a dormant email list and reestablish a meaningful connection with existing subscribers (27:14) The common email marketing pain points that entrepreneurs encounter (34:21) What email marketing success looks like, and who is getting it right (40:58) How SMS can work hand-in-hand with email marketing (45:20) Pro tips for utilizing automations in your email marketing (51:38) Insight into any upcoming email and SMS automation trends (56:52)   Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to leverage the power of email marketing!

Many entrepreneurs wish for more hours in the day, but how do you streamline your business to buy back that valuable extra time? Gianmarco Meli believes SOPs are the answer to this crucial question. Gianmarco is the host of The Seller Process, a podcast that focuses on systems and SOPs that help entrepreneurs automate their businesses.  In this episode, Gianmarco provides FBA and ecommerce business owners with a roadmap on how to use SOPs to turn their businesses into well-oiled machines. He discusses how implementing SOPs can help business owners increase their efficiency across the board, from product development to inventory management, to onboarding new employees.  Gianmarco breaks down the different types of SOPs you can use and explains how to create systems and processes that are tailored to suit your business. He also discusses the important role that SOP’s play when scaling your business: “When you scale your business, you also scale its complexity. If you don’t have the necessary systems and processes in place, in the form of SOPs, your whole business could break apart.” As an extra bonus, Gianmarco has given our listeners a free ebook guide to creating SOPs! Get your copy using the link below. If your business is overrun with redundant processes and unnecessary complexities, then you don’t want to miss out on these important tips and tricks!  Topics Discussed in this episode: How Gianmarco got started in the world of ecommerce (02:23) Gianmarco explains what SOPs are (06:02) What are the advantages for Amazon sellers to have clear SOPs in place? (07:16) How SOPs can help FBA sellers scale their businesses (13:17) Gianmarco walks us through how to create an SOP from scratch (15:20) Where do SOPs fit into Amazon brand building? (22:44) The best practices for implementing SOPs across teams (28:01) Gianmarco shares some insights into emerging trends in the FBA industry (32:47) What motivated Gianmarco to start The Seller Process podcast (36:58) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to use SOPs to maximize your business productivity!

The best way to achieve success is by capitalizing on your strengths and mitigating your weaknesses. The question is, how do you identify what those strengths and weaknesses are? This is where your site metrics come into play. Metics reveal a wealth of information that can help you scale your business and maximize your ROI. In this episode, we’re joined by Brian Sierakowski, the Director of Operations at Baremetrics, a software that translates metrics into analytics and insights that help business owners make profitable, data-driven decisions. Brian helps clear up the confusion around metrics by guiding us through which data points to focus on and which ones simply add to the noise. According to Brian: “If you get your metrics just right, you can craft the data to show you something that gets to a level of specificity. Then the answer to the question of, "What should we do next?" becomes obvious.” Brain explains how tracking your site metrics can help you make more informed decisions, and how the data that is revealed can help you create effective scaling strategies for your business.  Topics Discussed in this episode: How Brian got his start in the online business world (09:19) Brian explains what metrics are and why they’re important (28:22) Which metrics give you the best picture of how your business is performing? (35:16) The biggest challenges people face when trying to optimize their metrics (40:55) Segmenting your metrics instead of drinking from the data fire hose (45:38) When your metrics reveal a trend, how long should you wait before acting on it? (51:55) The different metric optimization strategies for new vs established businesses (01:03:18) How metrics can help get your business out of a rut (01:11:22) Brian’s predictions on the future of the SaaS industry (01:19:28) The best hidden growth opportunities within site metrics (01:24:28) What tools or resources can help online business owners optimize their metrics? (01:25:19) Brian recalls his funniest moment working in the online business space (01:26:39) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to access a wealth of untapped growth opportunities through your site metrics!

How do you integrate your business into consumers’ lives and have your products playing on their minds, even when they’re not online? Today’s guest believes Pinterest is the key to deepening customer engagement. In this episode, we talk to Kate Ahl, the founder of Simple Pin Media, a marketing agency that creates personalized Pinterest marketing strategies for online businesses. Kate also created the Simple Pin Podcast, a popular Pinterest-focused podcast that boasts over a million downloads. Kate has a unique take on Pinterest, believing that it doesn't fit in with the likes of Instagram and Facebook. She has often stated: “Pinterest is very much like Google. It is not a social media platform, it is a search and discovery network.” In this interview, Kate elaborates on this concept and explains how patience is a virtue when marketing on this unique platform - but that it can pay off handsomely. We also dig into what makes Pinterest users tick and how entrepreneurs can leverage Pinterest to grow their traffic and boost their brand awareness.  Kate walks us through how the pinning platform has changed over the years and the new trends that are shaping the Pinterest landscape. Taking these factors into account, Kate discusses the biggest challenges businesses face when using Pinterest and how to go about setting up a successful Pinterest marketing strategy for years to come. If you feel like your Pinterest marketing is lacking that extra oomph, you don’t want to miss out on this episode! Topics Discussed in this episode: How Kate got started on Pinterest and the birth of Simple Pin Media (02:04) Why Pinterest is a search and discovery network, not a social media platform (07:52) How Pinterest can supplement your SEO to bring in floods of traffic to your site (09:19) How the Pinterest ecosystem has evolved over the years (14:18) What it takes to be successful and the trends driving Pinterest today (17:27) The Pinterest Verified Merchant Program and buying intent on Pinterest (21:58) Is Pinterest the right platform for Amazon sellers? (29:03) The steps to starting a successful Pinterest marketing strategy (35:46) Kate’s biggest success story growing client’s businesses through Pinterest (44:12) The biggest challenges businesses encounter when using Pinterest (47:03) How Kate built her Simple Pin Media team by training women in her community (51:25) What Kate’s podcast has shown her about the power of the Pinterest community (54:18) Rapid-fire questions (58:03) Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a Pinterest marketing strategy that will shine a spotlight on your business!

Many entrepreneurs dream of making a seven-figure exit from their online businesses, but few people understand the logistics, high emotion, and intense negotiations that go into a successful sale.  In this episode, we'll have a round table with the buyer and seller from a recent seven-figure deal to give you some unique insights into what it's really like to buy and sell an online business with Empire Flippers.  The seller, Wilson Dos Santos, owned a rapidly growing FBA business and was ready to quit the rat race to enjoy the spoils of his hard work. The buyer, well-known FBA aggregator Thrasio, represented by Acquisitions Manager Kevin Flaherty, saw the business as a prime opportunity for investment.  Wilson walks us through his journey as a seller, explaining what prompted him to sell his business at the height of its success, the ins and outs of the listing and negotiation process, and ultimately, how his life has changed for the better since selling the business.  Kevin gives us an insider’s perspective on what kind of FBA business catches the eyes of aggregators, how Thrasio vets potential acquisitions, and how they structure their offers to stand out from the competition. If you’re considering buying or selling an online business, you don’t want to miss a second of this special behind-the-scenes episode!

The online business world is notoriously fast-paced, so it’s often difficult for digital entrepreneurs to stay up-to-date on industry trends. We hear phrases like “supply chain crisis” and “Amazon product launch changes” mentioned in the news, but how will these industry changes affect you?   Our very own Greg Elfrink, the Empire Flippers’ Director of Marketing, has the answers you’re looking for! After having deeply immersed himself in the online business world for the past 5 years, Greg knows the ins and outs of the online business world.  Greg joins us to discuss the positives and negatives of the current state of the industry and why sellers need to pay attention to the market. He walks us through the impact that the looming supply chain crisis could have on e-commerce businesses and the best ways for buyers and sellers to navigate the tough times ahead.  Greg explains why the market is perfect for exits, and how sellers can get a jump on their competition by cutting the queue and selling their businesses before the new year.

PPC can make or break FBA brands. Sometimes the line between investing in ad spend and wasting money is pretty thin. PPC is crucial to get your brand seen, but how do you do it in a way that helps, not hurts, your business? This is an area that PPC expert Laura McCaul specializes in. Laura is the co-founder of Sponsored Profit, an agency that helps businesses attract the attention of customers through personalized Amazon PPC strategies. In this episode, Laura explains how Amazon advertising can be a “pay to play” environment and how easy it is for sellers to spend a fortune on PPC campaigns that don’t generate sufficient results.  This is why Laura helped create the Misspend Prevention Method, a strategy that helps sellers avoid a money pit by cutting down on wasted ad spend by up to 50%. Laura also explains why PPC is an investment, not a cost, and how Amazon advertising can be a significant driver of revenue when used correctly.  We go through how to start a new PPC campaign and scale it from scratch, as well as how to kick your existing campaigns up a notch to reach a much bigger audience. Laura also discusses some of the common mistakes that FBA sellers make when using PPC and highlights the importance of building a recognizable brand instead of focusing solely on keywords.

Have you dreamed of making it big on YouTube but know the odds are stacked against you to "make it" on the streaming platform? What if we told you there was a sure-fire way to make money as a YouTuber? Two years ago, Youtube entrepreneur Sushee Nzeutem risked it all when she quit her corporate day job to buy and scale a YouTube channel. Becoming a new business owner after decades of working in a corporate office certainly wasn’t easy.  Soon after packing her life up and moving to Thailand to grow the business, the global pandemic hit, and Amazon commission cuts only compounded Sushee’s worries. Luckily, she wasn’t afraid of a little hard work and, despite the obstacles in her way, Sushee grew the business to make 10x more revenue in just two years!  Following this success, Sushee created the Youtube Business Builder Academy, an online educational resource where she teaches entrepreneurs how to replicate her performance as an anonymous Youtuber. In this episode, Sushee walks us through the buying strategies she used when purchasing her Youtube channel and the systems and frameworks she employed to successfully scale the business.  Sushee explains the importance of training up an efficient team and how delegating tasks allowed her to work on the business, not “in” the business.  This helped her create the “content conveyor belt” that turned her channel into an entirely passive business. Sushee shares some unique insights into what it takes to be successful on Youtube, and how buying this business transformed her life.  If you’re looking to break into the Youtube industry or gain traction on your existing channel, this is an episode you definitely don’t want to miss out on!

You can’t build a successful website without an audience, but how do you find those high-converting keywords that will drive traffic to your site? This is a problem that Ben Adler, the creator of Keyword Chef, was determined to solve. Ben spent years building up a portfolio of affiliate niche sites and learned how to conduct highly effective keyword research along the way.  Ben soon noticed a need within the content site community for more intuitive keyword research tools. He used his past experience as a programmer to build Keyword Chef, an easy-to-use SaaS tool that automated his existing keyword formulas and strategies. In this interview, Ben discusses his journey from building content sites to creating a SaaS business from scratch as a solopreneur. We also dive into what makes good and bad keyword research, how to build a community within your niche, and how to create a lucrative keyword strategy.

Andrea Barnhill is the Co-Founder and Director of Operations at Socratik, an SEO agency aiming to execute customized SEO strategies that boost ROI for mid to enterprise-sized businesses. Andrea is an expert in radical SEO transformation and helps businesses create a framework for exponential growth. In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, Andrea shares with us how to create a site that climbs the SERPs, even in competitive niches, and the SEO roadmap she uses to influence her clients’ bottom lines.

Ecommerce entrepreneurship comes with its ups and downs, but once you’ve discovered the keys to success, growth is all about execution. Ronnie Teja’s unique founder story shows how you don’t have to have a background in online business to become an ecommerce entrepreneur, but what it does take is determination, flexibility, and a drive to build something great. The founder of Branzio Watches and ecommerce entrepreneur joins us on The Opportunity Podcast to discuss how the challenges of launching his online business set him up for future success and the lessons he’s learned in his journey so far. Ronnie also shares what’s needed to scale your online business successfully and the best way to expand an existing portfolio.

Is great customer service the secret to growing your business? Rising customer acquisition costs mean securing happy, returning customers is more crucial than ever. A key player in retaining customers and transforming them from one-time buyers into brand fans is customer service. In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we’re joined by Nicole Baqai to discuss how to create customer service experiences that translate into business results. Nicole is the Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager at Gorgias, a full suite customer service solution for eCommerce entrepreneurs, and shares some keen insights into the relationship between customer service and generating more sales and greater ROI. She also talks about optimizing, automating, and personalizing your communication to make customer service your greatest marketing tactic.

When an ecommerce platform is packed with giants, how do the small businesses stand out? Amazon is filled with copycat competition from players big and small. Between that and the limited options for creating a unique brand experience, it may seem like an impossible task to capture and retain customer attention. Michael (Mike) Begg is the Co-Founder, CMO, and Chief Strategist of AMZ Advisers. As a former Amazon seller, Mike experienced first-hand the frustrations that come with maximizing brand awareness on a platform crammed with competition. Now, Mike helps ecommerce businesses develop Amazon-specific marketing strategies to dominate their category and bring in the maximum amount of revenue possible. In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, Mike shares his knowledge and experience for exploding your Amazon presence, making the most of each sale, and the techniques he uses within his own company to scale online sales of ecommerce brands selling through Amazon.

Starting your first niche site is one thing – buying, growing, and flipping an empire of sites is another. So how do you scale and sell a portfolio of niche sites? Shawna Newman is an SEO expert with nearly 20 years of experience acquiring and scaling niche sites. She is one of the most seasoned SEO professionals in the industry, known for her unique testing methods and extensive year-long case studies. She is also the founder of Skipblast, where she shares her key findings from her SEO and business research. Shawna joined us on this episode of The Opportunity Podcast to discuss her methods for building a niche site portfolio, what to look out for when buying and selling sites, how to scale newly acquired sites, and much, much more.

Affiliate sites are a fantastic way to boost your passive income, but how do you start and scale an affiliate site from nothing? Doug Cunnington is an expert affiliate marketer and the founder of Niche Site Project, where he empowers people with systems and templates to create and scale their own affiliate sites. He is also the host of The Doug Show and a self-titled YouTube channel where he talks about his affiliate marketing journey so far. In this episode, Doug shares a behind-the-scenes look into what works and what doesn’t in affiliate marketing. He talks candidly about the Amazon affiliate program, when and how to scale an affiliate marketing business, and his top tips for driving traffic to your site.

How important is SEO to your business? Great SEO is a primary factor in many online businesses’ success. But approaching it for the first time can feel like a minefield. Between out-of-date information and seemingly constant changes to Google’s algorithm, you may think SEO is an impossible game to win. But Kyle Roof knows it’s far from that. In fact, the SEO guru has obtained a US patent proving exactly how you can manipulate SEO to rank on search engines. Kyle is the lead SEO at High Voltage SEO, Founder of PageOptimizer Pro, Co-founder & SEO Instructor at Internet Marketing Gold (IMG), speaker, trainer, and all-around hub of SEO knowledge. He joined The Opportunity Podcast to dispel some of the common myths and misconceptions about SEO practices and the Google algorithm, and reveals what site owners should be doing to improve their SEO and outperform their competition.

What’s your end goal with your ecommerce business? When you first start your business, it’s unlikely that you’re already thinking about selling it. However, the earlier you start to think about a potential exit the more likely you'll walk away with a life-changing sum. Think about all of the opportunities you could have if you doubled your windfall with a simple exit planning strategy in place early on. Jason Wong, Managing Partner of Wonghaus Ventures and an ecommerce business entrepreneur, recommends preparing your business for exit early to help facilitate a smoother, more lucrative sale. He shares his tips and advice for ecommerce entrepreneurs thinking about making an exit in the near future, and how business owners can utilize an exit planning strategy to increase the expected listing price from small changes implemented in the early stages of operations.

Copy is your ecommerce brand’s most powerful device. When written effectively, copy can move people to action and impact your business in transformative ways. But how do you write compelling copy that converts? Emma Schermer Tamir is the CEO and Co-founder of Marketing by Emma, an agency providing copywriting and listing optimization services for ecommerce businesses and Amazon sellers. We invited Emma to join us in this episode of The Opportunity Podcast to discuss how brands can create ecommerce listings that stand out from the ever-increasing crowd and establish long-lasting customer connections. This episode is packed with helpful, actionable advice about writing copy that converts, creating more positive customer experiences, and how to avoid common ecommerce copy mistakes.

What really goes into building a sustainable brand? When Martin Johnston decided to take his years of experience working with giants in the retail and ecommerce space and start from scratch, he knew exactly what practices he wanted to replicate. And what ones he didn’t. Martin is the Co-founder of Crafted Society, a luxury ecommerce brand dedicated to the transparent and sustainable production of handmade artisan goods. He joined this episode of The Opportunity Podcast to share what it takes to follow the road less traveled and craft a purpose-driven brand. He also reveals the story behind the innovative DTC subscription model that’s elevating Crafted Society’s partnerships. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how you can craft your own purpose driven ecommerce brand in this weeks episode.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Ryan Smith Head of Partnerships at Emotive, a service that enables eCommerce businesses to scale 1:1 relationships through conversational messaging via SMS and email. Ryan dives deep into the power of SMS messaging - everything from its high open rates, to the opportunity this platform offers eCommerce brands to develop personal relationships with their customers, and its power to lead to more conversions and sales. Building relationships with your customers using SMS and email is a great strategy to gain and keep customers returning to products. In this call, Ryan explains where eCommerce and DTC brands fail the most when it comes to building these relationships, the ROI that SMS offers for those who implement this strategy correctly, and how newcomers to this industry can get started even if they don't have a customer list built out just yet. We uncover how to message your customers with information relevant to where they are in their buying journey, and the best anecdotes to implement your own personal SMS strategy no matter which niche you happen to be selling in. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how you can gain better conversions and relationship ROI using SMS.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Don Henig, the Founding Partner of Accrueme, a service that provides Amazon funding to help FBA sellers grow quickly and increase their profits. Don explains how he went from working in the mortgage and real estate industry to growing an Amazon funding platform built on trust and partnership with sellers. Don and his team have been helping FBA sellers scale their brands with this idea:“Accrueme only wins, if the seller is winning”. Don chose to step outside of the typical loan structure of most funding companies, and instead works with sellers to get the funding they need without being held to strict payment plans. We take a deep dive into all the funding options available for FBA sellers on the market today, common mistakes business owners make when sourcing capital for expansion, and how you can better prepare your business for a profitable exit. This episode is full of some great information for any and all FBA business owners looking to gain the capital they need to take their business to the next level and one episode you will surely not want to miss. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how sourcing the right funding for your FBA business can help you reach new heights.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Yoni Kozminksi, founder and CEO of Escala. Yoni has created a framework for scaling companies through SOP's and optimization. Yoni is passionate about smart, holistic, optimized growth. He's worked with a range of businesses to help them reach their next level and he gets down in the weeds to figure out what bottlenecks are keeping businesses owners from reaching their revenue potential. We discuss what makes a great SOP and how to build one, how to bring in the right talent to really grow, and the mindsets you need to approach optimization correctly. This is a great episode for those who want to learn about the nitty-gritty operations advice that will make an impact to their bottom line. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to create the SOP's that will guide your growth.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Cody James who purchased a content site in the pet niche from our marketplace and is now a portfolio owner of 7 different content sites. Cody has leveraged his skills and background to create a growth strategy that’s allowed him to build successful businesses within the competitive pet niche. His thoughtful, out of the box strategies have helped him optimize his sites and allowed him to manage his portfolio all on his own. When building a content site with conversions as the main goal, performing CRO on your website is a sure fire way to help increase your conversions without spending additional revenue on other strategies like PPC advertising or guest post exchanges. Cody has been performing CRO for many years now and gives us his insight to what content site owners should be testing when looking for new ways to grow their conversion rates. He gives us his thoughts on how to diversify your revenue streams whether through new affiliate partners or targeting sub-niche products in your market, what you should be testing to help improve conversions, and his growth roadmap to scaling a newly acquired content site with the idea of flipping it for a much larger profit later on. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to uncover a growth roadmap to improve your content sites revenue and conversions.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Athena Severi, the co-founder of Titan network, a community mastermind group that helps to educate on and facilitate growth within Amazon businesses. Athena explains why finding community can be a game-changer when running an FBA business and how you can grow your business by leveraging your network and the knowledge of others. Athena explains how she went from working for a consulting agency before shifting into the growing world of selling physical products with Amazon FBA. Starting out as a new seller, she found helping her community learn this business model was her love. Already having a passion for community building, Athena was able to help build the Titan network with her partner, establishing a platform for other FBA sellers to help one another and build lasting relationships. In this episode we dig into why building a community is important to grow your FBA business, and the biggest mistakes that most first-time sellers make when starting out. Entrepreneurship can be lonely, and we explore how to build a connections that help eliminate isolation and grow your business at the same time. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn why building a community can help you succeed as an Amazon FBA seller.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Chelsea Cohen, an Amazon seller and the co-founder of SoStocked, an Amazon FBA inventory management service that is helping business owners better manage their inventory levels. Chelsea has been working as an Amazon seller for many years, and is now helping other sellers optimize their inventory management processes, order predictions, and storage logistics. Inventory management is one of the biggest components to building a successful Amazon FBA business. In our call with Chelsea, she gave us an update on the ever-changing rules with FBA storage limits, where sellers fail the most when it comes to managing their inventory levels, and how to optimize your logistics to keep from the dreaded stock out. Chelsea gives us some amazing tips on how to mitigate your risk through diversifying your fulfillment centers, how to properly track your inventory levels, and create detailed projections for future orders, and much more in this weeks episode. This is one call you don't want to miss out on if you are looking for ways to optimize your FBA business in 2021 and beyond. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how you can optimize your inventory storage, logistics, and order predictions for years to come.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Doron Wolffberg, a content site builder who started out as an SEO expert for an agency before branching out to building his own niche sites. Doron explains how Google algorithm updates have been pushing niche site builders to produce more quality content for their sites and how his focus on quality allowed him to become an authority in the pet space. Doron gives us a detailed breakdown in how he approaches building content sites with an SEO strategy in mind, and how Google's shift towards quality and intent has altered his focus over time. He gives us his ROI when it comes to hiring content writers, the process he takes in building a team of experts in a given niche, and what his content site's performance looks like today. He also shares how was able to create an omni-channel strategy, even on difficult channels like YouTube. Doron shares his end results: scaling traffic to new heights, managing to multiply earnings, and creating a solid following across different marketing channels. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how you can scale your omni-channel content empire with the help of experts.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Jayrd Krause the CEO of Buyingonlinebusinesses.com, a consulting and growth network for new or portfolio online business owners. Jayrd explains his story behind why he chooses to invest in online businesses and why they can outperform traditional forms of investing like stocks, bonds, physical investments, and even crypto. Jayrd brings us up to speed on his experience of performing due diligence on a business acquisition, and the opportunity that these types of investments offer a broad range of investors. He gives us the mindset you should have when performing due diligence, and how taking step back and really understanding your core-skillset will guide your online business success. Jayrd explains why he leans towards looking at the potential risks in an investment over the upside potential only, and how to approach your first offer once you have gained enough experience from performing due diligence on multiple assets. For those looking to acquire their first, or tenth online business, this is a great episode you won't want to miss. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how you can be the savviest buyer.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Jeremy Bell, the Chief M&A officer for Elevate Brands. Elevate, a leading Amazon FBA acquirer, has grown to 22 brands in a short amount of time and has leaned on the Empire Flippers marketplace to acquire high-quality businesses. Jeremy joins us to share his experience navigating due diligence on high-stakes deals and shares how these lessons apply to all buyers. Jeremy shares how his past in the M&A space and pivoting away from brick & mortar towards digital acquisitions has lead to rapid development of the team and portfolio of Elevate Brands. Since FBA asset demand is intense, Jeremy clears up what buyers should look for in a potential acquisition and how to be clear on the value of a business early on in the process. He also shares his due diligence checklist, what a typical criteria list includes for a leading acquirer, and how sellers can exit plan so the entirety of their deal goes smoothly. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready for a in-depth peek at the due diligence process for multi-million dollar FBA deals.

On this episode of the The Opportunity Podcast, we will be catching up with Alex Champagne, Empire Flipper's Director of Sales. Alex is here to cover all the new details surrounding our blended commission and how this impacts sellers and buyers going forward. In his interview Alex explains what the blended commission is and why we have moved to implement this new commission structure. He shares why it ultimately benefits our sellers and helps us deliver on our goal of helping sellers walk away with their best possible deal. Alex also catches us up on the state of the marketplace, the abundance of growth in the FBA space, and key takeaways for buyers and sellers to prepare for their most lucrative exit. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to leverage our new commission structure in your next exit.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Max Chu, who recently exited his Amazon FBA business for 8-figures. Max explains how he and his brother went from surviving lay-offs and bouncing back from a collapsed business to finally making a life changing exit from their FBA business. Max and his brother started out growing their first content sites back in 2007 monetizing them through Google Adsense. After being hit by the Google Panda and Penguin updates and lost 80% of their traffic, they were in need of a new way to make money. Max had a just had a baby and trying to live off 10k a year from the site wasn't working. That's when they made the switch over to Amazon FBA. While doing everything they could to make ends meet, Max and his brother went all-in on their Amazon FBA business, reinvesting the profits to help them grow it to new heights. Tune in as Max explains the struggles of building an 8-figure FBA from start to finish, what to expect when the negotiation process begins with high net-worth investors, and how to get the most from your exit with the help of a broker. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to hear an inspirational story of how one FBA seller was finally rewarded for overcoming challenges with an 8-figure exit.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with George Sanderson, our Migration Supervisor here at Empire Flippers. George gives us an inside look at our migrations department, and everything they do to help buyers and sellers for a successful acquisition. George has seen just about every type of online business go from the deal stage to completion after our team has fully migrated the asset to the new owner. He gives us his insight on what both buyers and sellers can expect when entering the inspection period after a migration has been completed, and why we are the only broker in the digital M&A space with an entire team dedicated to help your acquisition go as smoothly as possible. George goes over our different processes that have helped speed up the time of a migration, how we effectively manage earn outs, and tasks that might come up before the business is even listed with us. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to discover how our migrations team is leading the way for customer satisfaction and ease during the whole migration process.

On this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Bibi Raven, the owner of bibibuzz.com an affiliate site link building service with a large team changing the way link outreach is being performed. In this episode Bibi explains what it takes to build a link building strategy that works - and it might not be what you'd think! Bibi manages a team of 30 building guest post and linkable asset links for brands, agencies, and in-house teams. With her unique approach to prospecting and link building outreach, she has been able to gain many valuable links for free. Stepping away from typical SEO strategies, she takes a personal approach to building relationships with outreach prospects. She employs a human approach to link building, and it seems to go over well. Bibi also gives us her strategy for hiring and team building, and how to train new hires while remaining completely remote. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to get the best backlinks for free, and to have fun while doing it.

On this episode of the The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Matt Oakley, Sales Manager here at Empire Flippers. Matt’s interview uncovers everything you need to know about FBA deal structures and how both buyers and sellers can benefit from proper planning before any type of negotiations begin to take place. The market has rapidly changed and so have deal structures. From top to bottom, FBA deal structures have shifted, so Matt catches us up on where these deal structures sit today and what to expect. We get into the nitty gritty of multi-million dollar deal structures and how private equity (PE) buyers are offering opportunities for sellers to experience tremendous windfall from their exit. He also shares what kinds of structures best benefit buyers and sellers, as well as the key to making your most profitable exit during what we have labeled "the season of the seller." Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to make deal structures work for you.

On this episode of the The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Troy De Ville, a recent buyer of a children's and education niche content business. In this episode, Troy gives us his thought process on acquiring his very first online business, and what others should keep in perspective as a first time buyer. Troy gives insight on the mindset needed for due diligence, how to use your individual skill sets, and how you can overcome the fear of investing a large amount of capital into your first acquisition. He explains how he was able to leverage the Empire Flippers team to help ease the process when first starting out in tandem with raising a family and working full-time at a brick and mortar company. Like many first time buyers who decide to acquire a digital asset, he was still on the fence whether he would go through with the whole process, and what had changed his mind was knowing our team was helping through every step along the way to ease the learning curve taking on this new venture. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to to perform due diligence and better prepare yourself to acquire your very first business based on the skills you already have.

On this episode of the The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Chas Woodward, Head of Business Development at HeyDay, a platform accelerating consumer product brands on Amazon. Chas explores the branding and business essentials FBA owners need to stand out on the marketplace. In his interview Chas explains HeyDay’s mission and how they aim to partner with FBA sellers in the acquisition process. He sought to give guidance to FBA sellers at all levels, and gave solid advice to how to build a brand on Amazon and why that would be so critical for being able to make the best exit possible. He challenged the idea of business expansion for simply the sake of scaling and put smart growth for entrepreneurs into perspective. Chas also discussed the intensity of changes in the FBA market in 2020 and predicts how the marketplace could very well change in 2021 and 2022. This is a great episode for those curious to know what a leading FBA acquirer looks for in stand-out FBA brands. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to build the best version of your FBA brand.

On this episode of the The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Mark Ow who went from working as a computer engineer for companies like Apple, Dell, and Microsoft, to purchasing and growing two content businesses he recently acquired from our marketplace. Mark comes from a strong computer industry background which helped him scale his acquisitions, one of which he was able to 5x the monthly net profits. Mark had an 'ah-ha moment' when he realized the amount of time he could save purchasing an online business already generating cash flow. This realization gave him the inspiration to find and acquire two content businesses from our marketplace. With some help from his brother, Mark improved page load speeds, the UX on his sites, and improved the content to better serve results based on the searcher's intent, something Google has started to favor more and more when determining your sites ranking for keywords. Mark gives us his thoughts on what first time buyers should look for while performing due diligence on a business, and his strategy to grow content sites within evergreen niches to maintain stability. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to discover how you can optimize your first digital asset to see returns after making some not so common improvements.

On this episode of the The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Renae Christine who manages a few different digital assets in the baby care and diet niches. Renae acquired a KDP business from our marketplace that she’s been able to scale through her love of community building and successful ad spend. She’s a passionate entrepreneur with several successful businesses and a large YouTube channel behind her. If you’ve ever imagined building a life charged by all your own businesses, personal projects, and a ton enthusiasm - you won’t want to miss out on Renae’s story. Renae breaks down many challenges that entrepreneurs face, everything from being able to manage a business truly hands off, building giveaways that covert, to picking the right platform to build a community on. Renae has used the power of community to grow her businesses and was able to do so through her love of ads. While most fear spending on ads, Renae’s ad spend has been $400,000 and she’s still been able to realize great ROI. She explains how she’s tested her way to success and what others can learn from her experiences. Renae’s passion for her businesses shines through and offers plenty of hope for others learning how to build a life they love in the online business space. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to leverage community and ad spend to build your online empire.

On this episode of the The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Dom Wells, owner of Onfolio. With Onfolio, Dom acquires and manages a diversified portfolio of online businesses across a broad range of verticals, each with a niche content focus. As a seasoned expert, he shares his mindset and strategy on investing in content businesses. Dom really understands what the right opportunity in online business looks like. He describes how people commonly get caught up on price or what they think might be growth potential for a business only to miss out on more stable investment opportunities. He describes common pitfalls - like when to know an unmonetized email list is really good or not - and how to avoid them. Dom also explains the growing demand for online business investments and explains why it can be a worthwhile investment for others to pursue. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to use content businesses as a stable investment strategy.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast we will be mixing things up. Branden and I host today’s episode to discuss our 2021 State of the Industry Report and all the juicy data insights we’ve gathered over the past year. We dig up some of our favorite data that highlights the growth on the marketplace we are most excited about - everything from the numbers that show how wildly FBA is growing to the increased multiples content sites are demanding. This episode explores the growth of our marketplace and gives a data-driven snapshot of how buying and selling digital assets has changed up until now. For those looking to refine their strategy for the year, understand where their great opportunities lie, and discover how much money they could make in the current marketplace environment - this is the episode for you. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to uncover real insights behind the online business industry as a whole.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Adam Smith, the co-owner of Niche Website Builders, a company that helps affiliate marketers grow and optimize their content and backlink profiles. He explains how he has spent that past few years focusing on buying and flipping niche sites, and how to use what you know to succeed in flipping content sites. Adam explains the benefits to purchasing an established content site from our marketplace, and the typical road map he takes to scale a new acquisition prior to flipping it for a profit. He dives deep into what improvements you can make from day one after closing on a deal to see the most ROI, and where most content site owners fail when optimizing their business prior to listing it for sale on the market. Adam gives us his approach to finding quality content writers, how you can build out your content creation process, and how he has been able to scale his backlink email campaigns to send over one million emails per month for his clients. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to discover how you can scale your content empire and start flipping websites full-time (and even leave your day job behind!)

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Mark Soberman, a managing partner at Netpicks and portfolio owner who has acquired several assets from our marketplace. He explains his mindset behind buying and selling digital assets, and how he has used email lists to scale his acquisitions. Mark explains the benefits of acquiring a business that is within a niche you are already familiar with and how to incorporate the assets into your existing portfolio. He dives deep into the value an email list holds, and how to perform due diligence on an acquisition to uncover the true value in the list. Mark describes how business owners can diversify their email service provider (ESP) to backup their lists, and how you can mitigate risk through traffic diversification. We also take a look at adding personality to your email campaigns and when you should be developing a relationship versus selling your product to subscribers. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to discover tips to improve your email marketing strategy and keep your email list engaged.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Jim Barton, a Senior Seller Advisor with Empire Flippers. Jim takes a deep dive on exiting FBA businesses and the changes of Amazon’s marketplace as a whole. Amazon never seems to stand still and that certainly applies to the growth the platform has seen in the past year. Jim opens up as to why that matters to the sellers he mentors at Empire Flippers. He explains how this is a moment in time that FBA sellers should consider where they are with their businesses and walks us through the steps sellers should take early to best position themselves for an exit. Jim also compares the changing landscape of Amazon to the changes to our marketplace and shares updates to deal making that will hit home with those who are looking to buy or sell in the near future. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to hear from an M&A expert what’s new and unfolding in the FBA acquisition space.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Nate Jackson, the Head of Acquisitions for Perch, one of the leading acquirers and operators of Amazon Private Label brands. Nate explores the ins and outs of the fast-growing world of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) of FBA businesses. Nate has had quite the career change once he stepped into the world of FBA, saying he "went from a mechanical engineer in the navy to selling women’s leggings on the internet”. In between these two very different roles, Nate had worked for some of the biggest names in M&A. Upon seeing the growing emergence of Amazon and the difficulty of other businesses to compete against the giant, he decided to not swim against the current and dive into the world of FBA acquisitions. He now heads M&A at Perch and has helped grow their portfolio to 23 brands across 10 categories. In his interview he uncovers everything he looks for in an acquisition and the levers Perch pulls to take businesses to their next phase of growth. He also shares his views on growing their current brands on Shopify, his favorite types of deal structures, and why this is an incredible time to exit an FBA business. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get read to hear from an M&A expert what’s new and unfolding in the FBA acquisition space.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Matt Diggity, the owner of Diggity marketing, Lead Spring, Search Initiative, Authority Builders, the Affiliate Lab, and host of the Chaing Mai SEO conference in Thailand. This is a value-packed episode where Matt shares his roadmap for buying, scaling, and selling sites successfully. Like many in online business, Matt got his inspiration to leave his grueling long hours career from the 4 Hour Workweek. The world of SEO sparked his interest and Matt devoted himself to learning everything he could about SEO and affiliate websites. He’s now a leader in SEO who has taught countless people how to create their own income online. In this episode, Matt breaks down many of the core tactics he teaches his students to stay on top of ever-changing SEO techniques. He explores what is no longer working in the eyes of Google and little known tactics that work wonders for creating the kind of links Google really wants to see. He also shares the nitty gritty of his own internal deal flow and how he approaches buying, building, holding and selling within his portfolio. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to take a deep dive on SEO for newly acquired businesses.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Brad Costanzo of The Bacon Wrapped Business Podcast. In his interview Brad shares his many entrepreneurial adventures and the lessons he’s learned along the way. He also reveals his current portfolio strategy and how he’s taken an unusual route of mainly minority investment in digital assets. Brad has been in just about every business role out there and in a wide range of niches. He’s sold info products to teach magic tricks, runs his own consulting business, and has created a portfolio strategy that strikes a balance in his life. He shares how he’s never raised capital for an acquisition and instead looks for unique negotiation opportunities and deal structures when he acquires. He currently has minority investment in several businesses across various niches and he breaks down how he balances his investments and how that has played out for him. Brad shares everything from the things he wished he’d known when he first started out to the various insights he’s gained from his own experiences and from guests on his podcast. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to create your own opportunities and an investment style that suits your goals.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Jimmy Hourin, Senior Business Analyst with the Empire Flippers sales team. Jimmy works on some of the largest deals to hit our marketplace, and he’s here to explain how demand from institutional investors is driving a buying spree for Amazon FBA businesses and creating a market in favor of sellers. Jimmy explains how our marketplace has drastically changed in less than a year. Multiples have risen sharply for FBA and across the marketplace sellers are enjoying their best multiples and deal structures yet. Buyers are fiercely competitive for top FBA assets and it’s an indicator of investor acceptance of digital acquisitions as a solid investment strategy. Jimmy helps buyers and sellers understand how they can navigate the new market environment to get their best possible deal. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how you can cash out during this unique season for sellers.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be highlighting a new investment opportunity called EF Capital. The program was born in 2014 over discussions about an age-old problem where skilled entrepreneurs don’t have the capital to buy bigger listings, and investors don’t want to buy an entire business or learn a brand new skill set. In a nutshell, the program helps investors turn an active investment into a passive one by partnering with operators who will help manage acquisitions. And the program helps operators gain leverage in buying online businesses that aren’t available through traditional financing (like SBA loans) without having to learn new skills like investor relations or how to set up an investment fund. Instead, operators stick to what they know best—fixing and scaling digital assets. We’ll go into much more detail about how it all works and how you can get started with EF Capital. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how we are changing the digital acquisitions space yet again with this great new investment opportunity.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with John Hefter, Senior Vice President of Creative and Brand Strategy at Thrasio. John's interview explores the mindset, strategy, and journey of a company that became the fastest profitable US company to ever reach a $1B valuation. John explains how Thrasio became the household name it is today in the online business world. In his words, Thrasio “started out with the thesis that we’d be top, world class operators first”. Wanting to be the best operators in Amazon FBA and actually executing on that thesis catapulted Thrasio to hundreds of millions in raised capital and over 500 employees in less than two years. While John explores the approach that helped Thrasio reach the top of Amazon, he shares how Amazon sellers at any level can learn from their strategy and carve out their own piece of the Amazon pie. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how you can invest on Amazon like a unicorn operator.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Michael Frew, who leveraged his first content site acquisition to grow into larger SaaS acquisitions. Michael found our marketplace when looking for something to commit his free time to during his early retirement at the young age of 40. Michael explains how we went from following the financial independence retire early (FIRE) path with traditional investments, and shifted into the more profitable world of digital assets. He made a full ROI in less than two years with his first acquisition and the experience gave him the power to expand into six-figure SaaS acquisitions. Michael tells us how he has used the asset flywheel to grow in the online business space and what others should look for in acquiring their first online asset. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how even small acquisitions can help you take large leaps in a just a few short years.Listen to This Episode.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Andrew Voda, the Lead Seller Advisor at Empire Flippers. Andrew guides sellers everyday on how to best exit their business. He’s here to clue our listeners in on what key actions can be taken today to prep your business for its highest valuation. Tune in as Andrew digs deep on exit planning, the preparation all sellers are able to take for free with Empire Flippers when shaping their business for an exit. Andrew shares stories of the companies who have transformed from this process and walked away with seven-figure exits and more. He lays out what mistakes to avoid when preparing for an exit, what kinds of steps to take early on, and how the right exit planning will grow your return on investment (ROI) in the digital acquisition space. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to create your own windfall through exit planning.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Viraj Patel, an Amazon FBA buyer who purchased his business from our marketplace for $60k at the end of 2018. Viraj shares his story in how he went from heading down the law firm path, to establishing a better future in online business acquisitions that have given him a better work to life balance. Viraj takes us on a journey through what Amazon FBA was like five years ago compared to what it takes to be successful in the space today. He breaks down how he was able to double his money back from his acquisition in less than a year, and how FBA sellers can grow their businesses to the same level. Viraj explains why building his "Amazon FBA Real Estate" has set himself up to earn great money from anyplace in the world, and what FBA sellers can do to help spread the gap between their products and the competitions. This is one episode that Amazon FBA sellers should not miss out on. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn the hidden growth secrets that most Amazon FBA sellers are missing in terms of growth and scaling.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Mike Jackness, co-founder of EcomCrew, a community, podcast, and resource for ecommerce entrepreneurs. Mike’s a 7-figure ecommerce expert here to share everything in the ecom world and how he makes acquisitions. Mike takes a deep dive in his interview on the challenges, wins, and businesses that have shaped his ecommerce knowledge. He takes us step by step through his process of acquiring a new ecommerce business, from raising capital, due diligence, negotiations, to a successful close. Mike’s calling for a breakout year for ecommerce sales and goes over how to navigate the changes in ecommerce and still build a future proof business. As a trusted voice in the ecommerce community with a powerful portfolio to back him up, Mike’s interview is one you won’t want to miss if you’re an ecommerce entrepreneur. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn the building blocks of acquiring and succeeding in the ecommerce space.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Alex Renaud, CEO of Nolk.com, and a portfolio buyer of multiple Amazon FBA businesses from our marketplace. Alex has systematized his deal flow and acquisition process, enabling him to make 4 successful acquisitions in a year. In his interview, Alex explores the ins and outs of multiple acquisitions in a relatively short amount of time. He breaks down what levers to pull to grow a newly acquired asset, when to improve your product versus improve your brand, and how to leverage a broker for deal flow. He’s managed to grow all of his acquisitions to date and looks to continue growing his portfolio. Beyond just return on investment, he talks about the importance of buying for the future and building a philosophy you believe in into your portfolio. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to make quick acquisitions and boost their cashflow.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Josh Mitchell, a buyer of two Amazon Associates, affiliate, and display advertising businesses from our marketplace. Josh reinvented his career from footballer to full-blown online business portfolio owner and explains how he rapidly scaled his businesses in a few short years. In this interview, Josh highlights how he overcame common challenges in the content space - from one page dominating traffic to buying a site with PBNs. With time and many lessons learned along the way, Josh has managed to double one of his acquisitions and scaled the other to a seven-figure valuation from just a $90K initial investment. He lays out a roadmap for how he’s done it and what others can learn from his experience. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn how to reshape your life and career through online business acquisitions.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Lucas Carlson, the buyer of an Amazon Associates business and CEO of craftsmanfounder.com. Lucas successfully raised $9.8M for his start-up which went on to be exited to a Fortune 150 company. He used his windfall to invest long-term in online assets. Despite his successful exit, Lucas had a problem: “There’s very little literature on what to do with your money once you have a windfall”. Wanting to maximize his money, he turned towards buying online businesses. Lucas’ path is unconventional but his wisdom on investing is tired and true. He explains why he rallies against “safe” investments like index funds for a more active, creative, and fun source of wealth generation. He breaks down his long term investment strategy with online businesses and how the cash flow he reaps from his online assets outpaces the money he had from his initial windfall. Lucas explores how anyone can change their finances through online assets and why now is the perfect time to start investing online. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to learn everything you need to know on rethinking your long-term investment strategy with online business assets.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Jason Collins, a buyer of an Amazon Associates, display advertising, and affiliate business from our marketplace. He discusses how he and his wife leveraged an online asset to help them reach their dream retirement lifestyle. In Jason’s journey of building a retirement investment, he’s learned to surround himself with the best in the industry. He’s taken his own path to grow the business, from implementing an SEO audit, to adding a storefront to his content site. These growth implementations have even given Jason enough confidence now to venture into additional acquisitions. Jason’s story highlights what it takes to turn an online business into a dream retirement scenario, something that is not often discussed within the FI/RE community. Sit back, grab a coffee, and get ready to discover how to hack your dream retirement through online assets.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Henry Marcacci the owner of two successful businesses on Amazon in the KDP and FBA spaces. In his story, he shares how he leveraged his expertise in supply chain management and his passion for writing indie novels on KDP to break into Amazon FBA ownership. Henry used his FBA acquisition as a learning tool for online businesses and managed to 5-6x his business in the process. He advocates for finding businesses that are “blessings in disguise”, the kind you can fix up and make it stand out in the crowd. Henry highlights how anyone can turn their passion and skills into a successful venture with the right strategy and work ethic in place.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Alex Champagne, the Director of Sales here at Empire Flippers. Alex sat down with us to discuss the rapid-fire changes private equity (PE) is bringing to the online business space. Alex goes over the earliest days of Empire Flippers and PE and how we went from fear of getting burned on early deals to transacting easily with the influx of PE buyers. Around 15-20% of our deals are currently with PE buyers, meaning they’re a force to be reckoned with. Alex lays out how sellers can best prepare if they want to catch the attention of PE, why private equity is making huge gains in the online space, and how an “overnight” market shift is going to dictate how we do business moving forward.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Rick Baxter, an Amazon FBA and Amazon Merch buyer who owns a diverse portfolio of online businesses. Rick got his start in entrepreneurship in the brick and mortar world and was looking for location independent opportunities that built off his skillsets. He stumbled into the online space and felt like he could jump in knowing he’d be trained by the seller. He found an FBA business that ended up being a gem - it had the right problems he knew how to fix and had a great seller willing to train him properly. With the help of the seller he went from excitement over making $500 in sales a day to getting comfortable with an average of $4-5K a day. Rick reaped his ROI in six months and this year he will cross a million in sales - something he never anticipated when he got started. As Rick’s grown into his FBA expertise he’s learned a lot of valuable lessons along the way. He shares the importance of just getting started when launching products, letting the market give you the feedback you need on what works, and how to have a team of VA’s do most of the work on your business. He also shares his journey in buying an Amazon Merch business and how he’s integrated that asset into his portfolio.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast we will be speaking with Andy Allaway the Director of Operations here at Empire Flippers. In Andy’s interview, he explains his belief in operational systems that are “strong processes, loosely held”. He explains the balance between sticking to an operational framework and knowing when to let go of the wheel. Though he believes in the absolute importance of the right processes in place, he explains why it’s important to challenge those very processes to grow as a company. Andy shares what buyers and sellers can learn from Empire Flippers' operational challenges and the operational improvements to put in place for a more profitable deal. While most entrepreneurs are out to scale quickly, that doesn't mean fast is best. Andy explains how operations can be a pivotal tool for the smartest, most efficient growth.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Bill Szabrak owner of BillSzabrak.com, a coaching and consulting agency that helps online publishers. Bill sits down with us today to discuss his journey through purchasing and building multiple display advertising and affiliate business while maintaining a full-time job. Bill discusses how he went from being the "quintessential corporate cog" to building his lifestyle as an online entrepreneur. He shares the ups and downs of his journey, everything from weathering Google updates, Amazon Associates commission changes, and the global pandemic. This episode is perfect for those looking to find out their right path in online business and to get started running their own business while still maintaining a full-time job. Tune in as Bill discusses the secrets to buying your first online business and so much more!

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Kevin Bastoul, Silicon Valley native and Vetting Advisor for Empire Flippers. Kevin sits down with us to explore the connection between SaaS, Silicon Valley, and online business. Kevin discusses how he grew up around Silicon Valley and found himself at a SaaS startup in his first working role. It was location independence and hearing about the growth of the online business space that drew him away from the Valley and to Empire Flippers. Kevin's background and Vetting experience come together as he gives great insight on SaaS trends in the industry, how to get a better valuation for a SaaS business, and where the real opportunity is for SaaS businesses to grow faster than any Silicon Valley behemoth startup.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Caleb Page, the CEO of Propertyscout.io and the buyer of a SaaS business from our marketplace. Caleb discusses how he performs due diligence on SaaS business acquisitions, and what it means to be a savvy SaaS buyer. We also cover the mindset necessary for true entrepreneurship, and how Caleb was able to overcome challenges after his acquisition to better reposition his SaaS business for greater success.

In this episode, we speak with Gregory Elfrink — the Director of Marketing here at Empire Flippers. Greg discusses how to use content to scale your own empire and create a full-fledged media site, complete with a timeline and roadmap. Greg will also cover how to use content to scale your own empire in this episode along with how you can grow beyond content and create a full-fledged media site. The roadmap and timeline for implementing a content strategy on a newly acquired business will also be covered as well as how you can connect with your audience so they buy from you forever.

In this episode of The Opportunity Podcast, we will be speaking with Barry Dean the CEO of ProductAdvisor.com and the owner of a large portfolio of Amazon Associates business’. Barry will be going over how to successfully build and run a portfolio of Amazon Associates and affiliate assets, as well as how you can lead operations for your own content team. In this episode, Barry will cover how to start small and scale a growth-focused portfolio along with the secret sauce to finding great Amazon Associates acquisitions.

The opportunity podcast is finally here to uncover hidden growth opportunities throughout online businesses - whether that be insider tips from online business owners or little known insights straight from us here at Empire Flippers. In this episode, we introduce you to the hosts of The Opportunity Podcast — Sarah Nuttycombe and Branden Schmidt. Listen in to learn more about their journeys and what to expect from this series.