The Boring Ecom Podcast

Why Doing Ecommerce Alone Sucks (With Arie Sheerson)

Getting on Amazon Isn't Enough—This Creator Strategy Drives $10k Days Without Ads
Arie Sheerson's journey from struggling drop-shipper to building a $1M monthly brand in 60 days is a masterclass in modern DTC growth. With 50M+ organic views and an ecosystem that includes Snow and multiple 8-figure stores, Arie's cracked the code on scaling without depending on paid media alone.
In this episode, he reveals the creator playbook that's driving $10k daily Amazon sales through just link-in-bio traffic—no PPC required. We dive deep into the arbitrage opportunity between TikTok Shop content engines and Shopify brands, why AI trend detection is changing product selection, and how small drop-shippers can outmaneuver giants with the right talent acquisition strategy.
Whether you're still testing products or ready to scale an empire, Arie's frameworks for building lean, profitable brands will reshape how you think about e-commerce in 2025.
Key Topics:
(02:15) From Failed Jewelry Brand to Content-Driven Success
(06:30) The TikTok → Amazon Pipeline: $10k Days Without Ads
(09:45) Why Meta Spillover Traffic Makes Amazon Essential
(12:50) Small Products & Section 321: The Future of Drop-shipping
(18:55) Why Leverage Beats Focus in Modern E-commerce
(24:15) AI Trend Detection: Finding Japandi Before It's Mainstream
(30:20) Subscription E-commerce: Scaling at 1.0 ROAS
(37:30) Why Drop-shippers Make the Best Marketers
(43:10) The TikTok Shop Arbitrage Play Everyone's Missing
Get a 45-Day Free Trial with Alia: The Best Pop-Ups In Ecommerce. Let them know the Boring Ecom Podcast sent you to claim this deal.
Follow Joe (X | LinkedIn) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

Viral Shoe Flip to 7-Figure Growth: Drew Arciuolo's VKTRY Gear Marketing Secrets

Get a 45-Day Free Trial with Alia: The Best Pop Ups In Ecommerce. Let them know the Boring Ecom Podcast sent you to claim this deal.
Drew Arciuolo transformed his family's footwear business into a social media phenomenon by focusing on one simple thing: genuine reactions. From struggling through COVID to 3.5x growth in a single year, Drew reveals how VKTRY Gear found its perfect audience in basketball players trying to increase their vertical.
In this episode, Drew breaks down his content strategy: documenting real athletes' reactions instead of scripting ads, spending 115 days on the road capturing authentic moments, and building a 20-terabyte content library that drives both organic growth and paid acquisition. He shares how pivoting from a broad athletic audience of 65 million people to a hyper-focused niche of 900,000 basketball players unlocked explosive growth.
What makes Drew different? He's not just a marketer—he's a former athlete with a competitive drive that won't quit, waking up at 4AM with ideas and texting them to himself. Whether you're struggling to find your audience or looking to scale through authentic content, Drew's journey offers a masterclass in patience, focus, and community-building.
We also talk athlete mindset, viral hooks that actually convert, and why showing up in person creates an unbeatable moat for your brand. Plus, the Mac McClung partnership that crashed their site and became their most-searched week ever.
Key Topics: (01:32) From College Athlete to VP of Marketing at His Family's Business (04:18) The 7-Year Journey from Struggling Startup to Social Media Powerhouse (08:00) How COVID Nearly Killed the Business and Forced a Pivot (10:00) Finding Product-Market Fit by Going Smaller, Not Bigger (13:50) The Viral Video That Changed Everything (18:20) Building a Brand Through Authentic In-Person Connections (21:12) The Emotion-Driven Content Formula That Sells (27:40) Athlete Mindset vs. Entrepreneur Mindset (34:00) Partnering with NBA Dunk Champion Mac McClung
Thank you to our sponsors
Alia Pop Ups⁠
Follow Joe (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Richie (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

Vibe Marketing 101 With Jacob Posel (AI Expert)

Today, we’re joined by AI engineer and viral Twitter phenom Jacob Posel for a deep dive into what he calls vibe marketing—the art of using multimodal AI to generate brand-ready images, ads, and creative direction… without a design team.
Jacob breaks down why the future of ad creation will be prompted, not Photoshopped—and how the brands who learn to speak AI will outpace those still stuck in Figma. He shares his firsthand lessons from prompting thousands of ads, explains how to manipulate reference images for better output, and reveals why iterating in the same chat is a fatal mistake most people make.
We also get into the bigger picture—the business models this tech unlocks, how creators can sell their likeness as training data, and why the next AI gold rush might be in evaluation layers, not generation tools.
If you’ve been overwhelmed by AI or unsure where to start, this episode will flip the switch—and give you the practical tools to use AI every day like a superpower.
Key Topics:
(02:11) Why Most People Still Suck at Using AI(06:53) What “Vibe Marketing” Actually Means(11:07) Image Prompting Best Practices & Pitfalls(16:22) Why Your Edits Should Always Start a New Chat(21:31) The Role of AI Intuition in the Modern Workforce(33:44) Recreating a High-Converting AG1 Ad with AI(43:10) The Future of Ads, AI Models, and Business Models(50:01) Why Selling Likeness Might Be the New UGC(55:02) Jacob’s #1 Piece of Advice for Mastering AI
Thank you to our sponsors:
⁠⁠⁠⁠AfterSell⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠⁠⁠Parker⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Rivo⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Postscript⁠⁠⁠
Follow Joe (⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Jacob for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

From Bankruptcy to $72 Million: Luca Washenko on TikTok Shop

Get a 45-Day Free Trial with Alia: The Best Pop Ups In Ecommerce. Let them know the Boring Ecom Podcast sent you to claim this deal.
Luca Washenko’s story reads like a case study in chaotic brilliance. From reselling sneakers at 14 to facing lawsuits, debt, and nearly going bankrupt—he’s been through every extreme. But after losing everything, he didn’t just bounce back—he built a $72 million brand powered by TikTok Shop.
In this episode, Luca breaks down exactly how he did it: the affiliate hacks, the creator flywheel, and the product testing system that took him from his mom’s basement to 8-figure months. He also pulls back the curtain on TikTok Shop—the hype, the hidden pitfalls, and why most brands shouldn’t touch it.
What makes Luca different? He’s not optimizing buttons on a landing page—he’s obsessively studying the psychology behind virality, outmaneuvering giants with speed, and building creator ecosystems from scratch. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling past 7-figures, Luca’s insights hit hard.
We also talk info products, short-term wins vs. long-term leverage, and why most partnerships fail. Spoiler: it’s not about contracts—it’s about trust.
Key Topics:(01:45) From Selling Caffeine Vapes in College to TikTok Virality(07:51) Scaling with 75 Creators and 150 TikTok Accounts(10:55) The Harsh Reality of TikTok Shop (and Its Ceiling)(13:13) Product Testing, Affiliate Arbitrage & Viral Angles(22:00) Why You Must Stay Ahead of the Curve(31:45) The Info Product Trap vs. Building a Real Brand(38:10) How Luca’s Structuring His Path to a $100M Exit(43:15) The Most Dangerous—and Most Powerful—Lever in Business
Thank you to our sponsors
Alia Pop Ups⁠
Follow Joe (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Richie (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

How to Craft Novel Marketing Ideas with Matt Epstein

Matt Epstein’s story is a crash course in modern entrepreneurship. At just 23, he's been through the wringer—he launched a custom product business, lost money despite massive sales, and ended up in debt. But rather than tapping out, he regrouped. Dropshipping helped him regain confidence, and now he's building an agency and new e-commerce ventures.
Matt keeps it real about the agency game: most ideas suck until they don’t. What separates winners is how fast you can test, adapt, and pivot. He’s spent millions on paid ads, learning firsthand what works and what doesn’t. One of his big takeaways? Positioning is everything. Take Mary Ruth’s vitamins—same basic ingredients as hair serums, but packaged differently, and suddenly it’s a hit. It’s less about reinventing the wheel and more about how you sell it.
He also emphasizes cutting through the brand fluff. Early-stage companies obsess over logos and color palettes when they should be focused on getting results. Speed beats perfection. Brand guidelines shouldn't hold back progress—especially when nobody really knows or cares about your brand yet.
Matt is a big believer in the power of the right angle. You’re not selling filtered water—you’re selling better skin. He’s also bullish on AI-powered SEO, seeing platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity as new search engines in disguise. If you're not thinking about how to rank in AI, you're already behind.
Bottom line: move fast, test everything, tell a great story, and don’t get precious about your brand.
Key Topics: (03:38) Matt Epstein’s Entrepreneurial Journey
(08:06) Creating Winning Products with Unique Positioning
(16:38) “Ideas Are Just Ideas”
(25:30) The Pitfalls of Over-Indexing on Brand
(33:38) Why Founders Need to Tell Their Story
(35:32) Ranking on ChatGPT and Other AI Platforms
(40:51) Training AI Models to Put the Spotlight on Your Brand
(42:42) Who Will AI Replace?
 
Thank you to our sponsors
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠AfterSell⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Parker⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Rivo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Postscript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Follow Richie (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Joe (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

How to Not Lose Money in E-commerce With Fan Bi

“E-Commerce is a much harder business than is purported in marketing.”
Today, we’re joined by DTC legend Fan Bi all the way from Australia! With over 15 years of e-commerce experience under his belt, Fan’s peeling back the industry's glossy exterior to expose why the majority of today’s business owners stay poor.
Fan dives deep into the operational challenges that frequently lead to financial strain for e-com businesses of all sorts. He offers a ton of practical advice aimed at helping entrepreneurs navigate the harsh realities of our field while maintaining profitability for the long-term!
As we shift the focus to the low-bid market, Fan demystifies misconceptions surrounding enterprise value and business exits. Many small business owners erroneously chase revenue multiples, not realizing that true value lies in cash flow and sustainable models, often determined by a multiple of EBIT.
Finally, Fan discusses the dangers of personal guaranteed debt and the importance of aligning ambition with a realistic outlook on the day-to-day when running a business!
Key Topics:
(03:58) Buying DTC Brands in “Special Situations”(06:31) Why Most E-Commerce Business Owners Stay Poor(11:36) The Value of Operators in Leadership Roles(16:51) Striking the Right Balance Between Operations and Marketing(22:36) Fan’s M&A Predictions for Q1 2025(26:52) Treating E-Commerce Like a Small Business(31:37) The Superpower That All Successful E-Commerce Operators Possess
Thank you to our sponsors
⁠⁠⁠⁠AfterSell⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠⁠⁠Parker⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Rivo⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Postscript⁠⁠⁠
Follow Richie (⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Joe (⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.
 

How Product Selection Makes or Breaks Your LTV Potential with Alex Greifeld

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If you want to succeed in the e-commerce world in 2025, you have to be ready to defy some “tried-and-true” industry best practices.
Today we’re joined by growth marketing extraordinaire Alex Greifeld. She shares what led her to launch her blog and newsletter, "No Best Practices", which offers a fresh perspective on understanding a brand's DNA and traditional marketing strategies.
“There’s a lot of mythbusting to be done in the ecommerce and online marketing world.”
We’re dissecting the unique hurdles and opportunities in fashion, infomercials, and products requiring patience to see results. Alex offers practical advice for e-commerce newcomers looking to see results from Facebook ads, direct response campaigns, and even dropshipping.
We’re also spilling the secrets to customer retention, with Alex emphasizing that genuine retention improvements often stem from product quality, not just clever marketing. Finally, we’re talking about why most DTC brands are either bankrupt or destined to remain penny stocks, as well as the art of creating compelling messaging to take your brand awareness to a whole new level!
Key Topics:
(07:36) The Three Product Categories in E-Commerce(19:55) Product Category Categorization and Fusion(28:55) Leveraging Customer Retention for Success(36:28) Why LTV Becomes Less Predictable the Harder You Scale Acquisition(45:43) Stages of Brand Growth Strategies
Thank you to our sponsors
⁠⁠⁠⁠AfterSell⁠⁠⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠⁠⁠Parker⁠⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Rivo⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠⁠Postscript⁠⁠⁠
Follow Richie (⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Joe (⁠⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

How To Craft A Winning Subscription Offer With Matt Holman

Sign up for ⁠⁠⁠our newsletter⁠⁠⁠ to get access to our template for AI prompts and the payback model template from last weeks episode.
In this packed episode, Richie and Joe interview subscription expert Matt Holman about what's actually working in subscription ecommerce right now. Matt breaks down why the standard "subscribe and save 10%" model is the "bane of his existence" and reveals the strategies top brands are using instead. You'll learn why bulk options (30/60/90 day supplies) are driving higher AOVs AND better retention, why free gifts convert better than deeper discounts, and how smarter product page design can dramatically increase subscription take rates. Matt shares real examples from brands like Pretty Boy skincare and Jolie, explaining exactly how they've optimized their offers. Plus, get tactical insights on measuring subscription cohorts, analyzing LTV by offer type, and making smart decisions even with imperfect data. Whether you're just starting with subscriptions or looking to optimize your existing program, this episode delivers actionable strategies you can implement today.
TIMESTAMPS
(02:46) Introduction and Guest Welcome 
(05:32) Subscription Offers: The Basics 
(08:11) Optimizing Subscription Offers 
(12:45) Case Study: Pretty Boy Skincare 
(17:56) Incentivizing with Gifts 
(23:20)  First-Order Profitability vs Long-Term LTV
(26:30) Exploring Subscription Offers 
(28:29) Try Before You Buy 
(31:10) Designing Subscription Components 
(34:49) Data-Driven Decisions 
(40:26) Conclusion and Next Steps
 
Thank you to our sponsors
⁠⁠⁠AfterSell⁠⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠⁠Parker⁠⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠Rivo⁠⁠
⁠⁠⁠Postscript⁠⁠
 
Follow Richie (⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠) and Joe (⁠⁠⁠X⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

The Pop-Up Strategy That Generated $2M in 6 Days (Alia Mini Series #2)

Sign up for ⁠our newsletter⁠ to get access to our template for prompts and to download the payback model template from last weeks episode.
Love 'em or hate 'em, pop-ups are the workhorses of ecommerce list building—but most brands are doing them dead wrong. In this no-BS conversation, Shaan Arora (founder of Alia) reveals why your mystery discount probably sucks, when to reveal your offer, and how to stop pissing off customers who already gave you their email. Richie and Joe dig into the numbers that actually matter, the perfect timing to display your pop-up, and why smart brands are building personalized pop-up experiences for different traffic sources. This episode is packed with actionable tactics that could easily double your list growth overnight.
 
TIMESTAMPS
(01:28) Introduction: Shaan & Alia
(03:45) Pop Up Hacks
(05:51) Email and SMS Strategies 
(07:44) Conversion Rates and Offers 
(10:26) Testing and Metrics 
(13:07) Pop Up Best Practices
(18:58) Concerns About Pop-Ups 
(21:17) Influencer-Specific Pop-Ups 
(23:50) Opt in Rate Expectations
(29:19) How to Filter Pop-Ups 
(31:02) Data and Testing Insights 
(32:31) Conclusion and Final Thoughts
 
Follow Shaan https://x.com/iamshaanarora
 
Special thanks to our mini-series sponsor Alia.
 
Follow Richie (⁠X⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠) and Joe (⁠X⁠ | ⁠LinkedIn⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.

Unlocking the Power of AI in E-Commerce with DTC Jacob

Sign up for ⁠our newsletter⁠ to get access to our template for prompts and to download the payback model template from the last episode.
Is AI really going to transform e-commerce, or is it just another overhyped tech trend? DTC Jacob joins Richie and Joe to share why he believes we're on the cusp of an 'e-commerce renaissance' powered by AI. Drawing from his experience as Director of AI at Common Thread Collective, Jacob delivers practical advice on how to start implementing AI in your business today. You'll discover which AI models work best for different tasks, how to craft effective prompts that deliver consistent results, and the three most impactful AI workflows Jacob has seen transform e-commerce operations. Whether you're an AI skeptic or enthusiast, this episode provides the strategic roadmap you need to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape.
TIMESTAMPS
(02:48) Introduction 
(04:00) Jacob's Journey into AI and E-commerce 
(06:30) How AI changes inventory management 
(15:45) Exploring Different AI Models 
(21:05) Practical Uses of AI for E-commerce Operators 
(32:42) Future Organizational Structures with AI 
(34:42) Personalized AI Models for Employees 
(39:00) Practical AI Applications and Work Flows in Business 
(44:36) Advanced AI Copywriting Techniques 
(47:00) Effective Prompt Engineering 
(56:09) Conclusion and Contact Information
Follow Jacob ⁠https://x.com/dtcjacob⁠
Thank you to our sponsors
⁠⁠AfterSell⁠⁠ 
⁠⁠Parker⁠⁠
⁠⁠Rivo⁠
⁠⁠Postscript⁠
Follow Richie (⁠⁠X⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠) and Joe (⁠⁠X⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠) for more e-commerce insights and to join the conversation.