Meta vs. Margin: Why Reasonable Goals Win Long-Term

MOVE SUPPLY CHAINPay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.//What if the biggest risk to your brand isn’t competition or CPMs - it's how you define success? In this episode, Andrew walks through a practical framework for setting reasonable, operator-grade goals using EOS (10-year → 3-year → 1-year → quarterly), then pressure-testing those goals against your real constraints: product pipeline, supply chain, hiring, onboarding, and P&L design. We dig into why “rocket ship” thinking so often creates chaos: over-hiring, over-buying inventory, and chasing vanity targets - and how durable brands actually grow: methodically, with clear success criteria and a bias toward profitability.You’ll learn how to translate vision into numbers; why returning-customer mix lowers CAC% over time; how to engineer margin through supplier work (terms, lead times, BOM interrogation); and when to seize moments without over-leveraging. Real operator cases—Born Primitive, Simple Modern, Natural Dog Company, CTC—illustrate why steady compounding beats aggressive targets that break systems. If you want a calmer calendar and a fatter P&L, this is the playbook.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:06 - Using EOS As a Framework00:04:10 - What Is Motivating You & Your Goals (For Your Business)00:07:42 - How Can Your Vision Be A Constraint?00:09:01 - Examples of Great Brands 00:16:16 - Andrew defines a Rocketship Business00:19:10 - Good Businesses Build Steady Overtime00:25:31 - The Secret Sauce Brands Are Using To Grow00:28:33 - Maximizing Key Moments00:30:34 - P&L Design00:32:53 - Don’t Let The Promise of A.I. Fool You00:34:49 - Goals for AJF Growth//SUBSCRIBE TO MY PODCAST FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//Patrick Coddou is my business partner & COO at AJF Growth. He previously built, operated, and in 2022 exited Supply, a men's grooming business he co-founded with his wife. Follow him on X at https://x.com/soundslikecanoe.//Most brands don’t have a creative problem—they have a process problem. In this episode, Andrew and AJF Growth COO Patrick Kadu break down how to operationalize creative so it consistently drives profit. We cover why the message is the asset, how to build a database of messages per brand, and how to bolt on a “hook library” that accelerates iteration without bloating your stack.We also dig into Sora 2 (AI video) as a practical tool for 3–5 second hooks—where it works, where it fails, and how to deploy it without derailing your team. You’ll hear how we separate Explore vs. Expand in paid social, resist tool proliferation, and turn ideas into a repeatable process clients can trust. If you care about speed, clarity, and profitable growth (not just flashy toolS) then this is your operator’s guide.What you’ll learn:- A message-first framework that scales creative and protects margins- How to stand up a “hook library” and plug it into weekly cadences- When AI video (Sora 2) is ROI-positive for paid hooks—and when it isn’t- The agency principle: performance + trust beats everything//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:58 - Open AI & Sora 200:09:05 - Using AI For Content Creation For Your Brand00:16:19 - Does Your Marketing Clients Want You To Do This?00:19:54 - Ad Inspiration & Using Other User Content00:22:50 - Explore & Expand00:28:39 - Process Oriented Attack For Creatives00:35:00 - Writing a Hook Strategy00:39:04 - Will Meta Dox My Ad? 00:43:23 - Repeatable Process & Implementation00:54:22 - 2 Key Aspects For Good Client Relationships//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.//Dan Carnat is the Co-founder and CEO of Fiera Cosmetics, a mid 8-figure cosmetics brand founded in 2020.//What happens when a fast-growing DTC brand pushes price testing too far? Dan Carnat, CEO and co-founder of Fiera Cosmetics, breaks down the actual impact of pricing on conversion, acquisition, andmost importantly: reorder rates and LTV. We dig into why a $40 customer is fundamentally different from a $16 customer, how “cheap growth” distorted channel signals and buyer mix, and why Fiera reversed course by introducing a higher-priced, improved SKU while protecting existing demand.We also unpack a pragmatic attribution stack for operators who care about truth over dashboards: platform numbers as a directional input, MMM for hypothesis generation, and incrementality tests for validation, including how Meta campaigns created measurable halo on Amazon even when the product wasn’t listed there. Dan details Fiera’s “reality testing” process for new products (closing the loop between 5-star lovers and 1-star detractors), the operational cadence required to ship 20+ products in development without eroding trust, and supply-chain tradeoffs in a color-heavy category. If you’re navigating margin pressure, price strategy, channel diversification (including performance-driven affiliates), or product-market fit at scale, this episode will give you concrete frameworks you can implement immediately.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:29 - What Went Wrong With Price Testing?00:08:12 - Making Mistakes Can Reveal Truth About Business00:10:02 - Unit Economics In Your Business00:11:20 - Introducing A New Product with High Price Point00:19:38 - Product Development Process 00:23:56 - Dan’s Fitness Goals & Growth Hacks00:25:03 - Operations & Supply Chain For Fiera00:33:36 - Where Is The Value In A Cosmetics Business?00:35:58 - Rebranding00:39:02 - What Makes Dan Sleep At Night???00:41:52 - Highlight of Incrementally Testing00:44:08 - Complexity of Lead Attribution//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//Most brands feel the Meta ceiling: spend more, ROAS drops—cut spend, volume collapses. In this episode, we unpack why that happens and how to scale profitably by understanding your natural CAC, the Meta auction mechanics, and the non-linear trade-off between efficiency and volume. You’ll learn how CPMs reflect marketplace equilibrium, why “two-to-one ROAS” shows up at scale, and what actually moves results: estimated action rate, post-click profit optimization, and business design that supports volume.We walk through a practical playbook: identify your current natural CAC; use higher-quality, message-market-fit creative to penetrate deeper at the same bid; optimize profit per click (upsells, offers, bundles, pricing tests); explore new audiences/angles; ship new products to unlock fresh demand; and engineer the P&L (opex, supply chain terms, staffing, capital) so you can win more auctions without burning margin. If you run a 7–9 figure brand and care about scaling with profitability, this is the meta-ads episode that pays for itself. What you’ll take away:• How Meta’s auction actually prices your customer and why CAC “settles.” • The marginal frontier concept and why scale/efficiency is non-linear.• The levers that raise volume without wrecking contribution margin: creative EAR, profit-per-click tests, LTV expansion, and capitalization strategy.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:44 - What Is Natural CAC?00:04:40 - High Volume Meta Ads00:05:41 - Your Brands Natural Customer00:08:10 - Breaking Down How Ad Auctions Work00:12:21 - Why Meta CPM’s Have Gone Up00:17:35 - The Value of a Specific Search Term00:20:51 - The Importance of a Strong LTV00:25:06 - How To Win At Cost Thresholds?00:35:42 - Lowering Your OpEx00:37:58 - The Best Brands DO THIS//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

MORE STAFFINGRecruit, onboard, and train incredible virtual professionals in the Philippines with my friends at More Staffing by visiting ⁠https://morestaffing.co/af⁠. RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify//Colin McGuire is the co-founder of Boomn and the CEO of Glimmr. Follow Colin on X at https://x.com/colinvmcguire.//TikTok views don’t always equal profit—but they can unlock massive growth. In this episode, Colin McGuire of Glimmer breaks down how 40 million TikTok views in 96 days turned a small haircare brand into a cultural force that landed on shelves at Target and beyond.Colin explains why TikTok Shop is rarely a profit engine on its own, but how it can serve as a break-even growth flywheel that fuels cultural relevance, media coverage, and retail buyer interest. You’ll learn the exact tactics Glimmer used: affiliate seeding, influencer bursts, GMV Max amplification, and micro-influencer flywheels - to engineer virality and parlay it into retail expansion.If you’re an eCommerce operator weighing where to invest next, this conversation reveals how TikTok Shop impacts not just DTC revenue, but also Meta performance, Amazon sales, and long-term retail strategy. It’s a candid look at the tradeoffs between profitability, virality, and sustained brand growth.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:00 - How I Grew Glimmr00:07:01 - Importance of Community For Beauty Products00:10:06 - The Impact of TikTok Viewership00:17:55 - When The Revenue Doesn’t Match The Views00:22:23 - The Issues With TikTok Shop 00:27:07 - Ad Tactics vs Brand00:33:41 - Selling Products In Target00:35:57 - Colin Breaks Down His TikTok Strategy00:44:21 - Using Affiliate Influencers For Awareness00:48:19 - Let Your Product Speak For Itself//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

BEHIND THE SCENES STUDIOWork with the same Meta Ads creative production team that Andrew does with Behind The Scenes Studio, a More Staffing sister company: https://www.btsstudio.co/.FERMATCreate funnels the same way you create ads with FERMAT by visiting ⁠⁠https://fermatcommerce.com/af//Most media buyers run “test campaigns” on Meta to find creative winners. But after months of testing and reevaluating, I’ve eliminated test campaigns entirely—and performance has improved.In this episode, I break down my updated approach to creative testing on Meta ads:- Why launching ads directly into scale campaigns works better than test campaigns- How manual bids and target ROAS outperform auto-bid setups- What to do about false negatives and why they’re overblown- When (and how) to use “warm-up” campaigns or flexible ads to boost performanceIf you’re an eCommerce operator or growth marketer struggling with wasted ad spend, suppressed creatives, or inefficient testing structures, this guide will give you a repeatable framework for smarter testing and scaling.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:15 - Setting Up An AJF Growth Ad Account00:04:19 - Changing My Tone On Test Campaigns (Use Scale Ads)00:07:23 - Why Your Ads Get Low Spend?00:17:40 - How Did We Test My Hypothesis00:21:05 - Scale The Winning Ads00:27:10 - Efficiency Is THE PATH to Scale00:34:04 - The Results Of Running Test Campaigns00:34:50 - The Warmup Campaign Strategy00:38:24 - Flexible Creative Categories00:44:10 - What Ad Campaigns Truly Work?//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify//Sean Agatep is the cofounder and COO of Vincero, an 8-figure men's accessories brand, and Tidal, a global staffing agency connecting you with great global talent. Learn more about Vincero at http://vincerocollective.com/.//Most founders source from China, but very few have lived inside the supply chain for five years. In this episode, Sean Agatep from Vincero Collective shares how that experience gave him and his partners a deep advantage in manufacturing, supplier relationships, and building a profitable eCommerce brand.You’ll learn how Vincero grew from a Kickstarter project into an eight-figure accessories business by mastering supply chain complexity, negotiating with dozens of suppliers, and building redundancy that most operators ignore. Sean explains how their time in China shaped decisions around product development, margins, and growth — and why Vincero chose stability and profitability over chasing hyper-growth.If you’re an eCommerce operator facing margin pressure, struggling with supply chain inefficiencies, or deciding between scaling fast versus building sustainably, this conversation will give you frameworks and hard-earned lessons you won’t find anywhere else.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:19 - What Is Vincero?00:03:36 - Approaching Growth In The Business00:06:56 - My Team Moved To China00:13:18 - Supplier Relationships00:19:17 - Does Supply Chain Differ Between Types of Products?00:26:21 - Stability = Peace of Mind00:29:22 - Introducing A New Product To Your Brand00:35:17 - Brief Dive Into A New Business For Sean00:41:45 - Acquisition Ambitions00:45:43 - What Approach To a HoldCo Is Sean Taking?//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

MOVE SUPPLY CHAINPay less for COGS, get shorter lead times, and improve payment terms in your supply chain with help from Move Supply Chain at https://⁠movesupplychain.com⁠.INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.//Drew Fallon is the founder and CEO of Iris. Learn more about Iris at www.irisfinance.co and follow Drew on X at https://x.com/drewfallon12.//Raising money has become almost taboo in the DTC and eCommerce world—but is that mindset actually holding brands back?In this episode, Andrew sits down with Drew Fallon, CEO of Iris, fresh off a $6.2M seed round. They unpack the hard truths about fundraising, margins, forecasting, and why certain categories (like supplements and gummies) are scaling at lightning speed. Drew brings unique insight from inside the financials of 100+ eCommerce brands, offering perspective few operators ever get to see.You’ll hear a candid discussion about:- When raising capital creates real advantage (and when it kills your optionality)- Why high gross margin is the ultimate cheat code for scale- The long, overlooked sales cycle for B2B SaaS in eCommerce- How forecasting and inventory planning can make or break growth- The capital markets correction and what it means for CPG founders nowIf you’re facing margin pressure, considering outside investment, or just want a sharper financial lens on your business, this episode is a masterclass in understanding the numbers that matter.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:15 - Raising Money00:03:43 - Influencer Marketing In DTC00:07:40 - Drew’s Onboarding Sales Cycle00:10:11 - Hiring For Head of Marketing00:11:17 - The Future Of Iris00:16:45 - The Up Trend For E-Commerce Brands00:18:40 - These ARE The Brands That Win00:27:52 - Drew’s Bucket Analogy00:31:46 - Make Your Subscription Valuable To Customers00:37:59 - Make The Case For Fundraising00:47:27 - Early Growth Equity Funds//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=youtube.//Bryan Porter is the Chief Ecommerce Officer at Simple Modern. Follow him on X at https://x.com/jbryanporter and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbryanporter/.//Simple Modern’s insulated drinkware shouldn’t have worked as a DTC business: low repeat purchase rates, heavy shipping costs, and thin margins. Yet somehow, Bryan Porter and his team took their average order value from $18 to $80—fundamentally reshaping the brand’s unit economics.In this episode, Bryan explains why AOV growth isn’t just a vanity metric, but a lever for profitability when done intentionally. We break down the seven-year journey behind that transformation: bundling strategies that amortize shipping costs, personalization features like embroidery, limited-edition drops that command premium pricing, and product development designed for ecosystem buying.This conversation also dives into bigger strategic lessons: When to let Amazon carry single-unit orders, how to structure your site around differentiation, and why broader brand awareness—not just tactical hacks—ultimately drives scalable growth. If you’re navigating thin margins, testing shipping thresholds, or struggling to profitably scale off Amazon, Bryan’s perspective is both practical and deeply insightful.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:02:24 - Andrew LOVES Oklahoma00:02:54 - Is AOV The MOST Overrated Metric?00:06:10 - Margin Profiles For A DTC Brand00:13:57 - Product Development Process00:21:17 - Increasing AOV00:28:15 - The Pillars 00:36:16 - Tiktok Shops00:45:40 - Let’s Chat About Money//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

INTELLIGEMSIntelligems brings A/B testing to business decisions beyond copy and design. Test your pricing, shipping charges, free shipping thresholds, offers, SaaS tools, and more by clicking here: https://bit.ly/42DcmFl. Get 20% off the first 3 months with code FARIS20.RICHPANELCut your support costs by 30% and reduce tickets by 30%—guaranteed—with Richpanel's AI-first Customer Service Platform that will reduce costs, improve agent productivity & delight customers at http://www.richpanel.com/partners/ajf?utm_source=spotify.//Eric Bandholz is the Founder & CEO of Beardbrand and the host of Ecommerce Conversations, which you can find at https://www.practicalecommerce.com/author/eric-bandholz. Get his "36 Ways To Revive An Ecommerce Business" episode here: https://www.practicalecommerce.com/36-ways-to-revive-an-ecommerce-business.//Eric Bandholz, founder of Beardbrand, joins the show to talk candidly about rebuilding after losing nearly $1M in cash between 2023–2024. In this episode, Eric shares how Beardbrand plugged its biggest leaks—inventory issues, packaging missteps, and manufacturer misalignment—and why raising prices actually restored trust with customers.We also dive into deeper questions: what it means to build for freedom instead of an exit, how to sustain motivation after 13 years in the same business, and why work itself can be life-giving. Eric discusses the role of subscription growth, fragrance innovation, and even AI-driven ads in shaping Beardbrand’s next chapter.If you’re running an eCommerce brand under pressure from margin compression, lawsuits, or scaling hurdles, this conversation offers grounded perspective. You’ll walk away with concrete lessons on pricing, manufacturing strategy, subscription models, and long-term founder psychology.//CHAPTER TITLES:00:01:32 - Erics Big Reveal00:03:12 - Current State of BeardBrand00:07:29 - Why Problem Solving Is Key00:15:03 - Price Changes In Products00:17:17 - Andrew Opens Up About His Fragrance Brand00:20:55 - What Goes Into Fragrance Development00:25:33 - Subscriber Growth00:34:05 - BearBrand New Productline00:37:21 - Package Material Sourcing00:41:09 - Building For Freedom00:52:09 - Exciting Erik Ideas//SUBSCRIBE TO MY CHANNEL FOR 2X/WEEKLY UPLOADS!//ADMISSIONGet the best media buying training on the Internet + a free coaching call with Common Thread Collective's media buyers when you sign up for ADmission here: ⁠⁠https://www.youradmission.co/andrew-faris-podcast⁠//FOLLOW UP WITH ANDREW X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/andrewjfaris ⁠Email: [email protected] with Andrew: ⁠https://ajfgrowth.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠