Learning Is Not the Same as Implementation | Matt Edmundson

Learning Is Not the Same as Implementation After recording 200+ episodes of the eCommerce Podcast, Matt Edmundson has noticed something troubling: everyone's taking notes, but nobody's taking action. In this candid solo episode, we explore why only 5% of what we learn actually gets implemented and what we can do about it.Episode Summary Matt opens up about his own struggle with implementation, sharing how he's accumulated countless frameworks, templates, and expert advice while only putting about 5% into practice. Through personal stories including his £38 million business lesson, he challenges the common trap of endless learning without action. The episode marks a significant shift for the eCommerce Podcast, introducing new solo episodes focused on practical implementation rather than just inspiration, alongside the launch of free eCommerce Cohorts designed to help entrepreneurs work through ideas with peers who understand the journey. Key Point Timestamps: 02:00 - The 5% Implementation Reality 06:00 - Why Expert Interviews Aren't Enough 07:00 - The £38 Million Business Lesson 10:00 - What's Changing: Solo Episodes Return 13:00 - Introducing Free eCommerce Cohorts 17:00 - The Challenge: Stop Taking Notes, Start Taking ActionThe 5% Implementation Reality (02:00) I'm nodding along because I'm really fascinated, I'm making all the right noises. I'm writing notes in my notebook, I'm asking follow-up questions, but it struck me... this is exactly what a guest told me three years ago. The sobering statistic? Between 2-8% of people who buy online courses actually finish AND implement what they learn. Matt admits he's probably implemented only about 5% of everything he's learned from hundreds of expert interviews, downloaded frameworks, and expensive courses. This isn't just Matt's problem - it's an industry-wide issue where we're "drowning in good advice while our businesses stay exactly the same."Why Expert Interviews Aren't Enough (06:00) The eCommerce Podcast started with solo episodes back in 2019, but Matt pivoted to interviews because they were "easier to create" and helped grow the show. However, something was missing. Every interview taught me something new, but it also highlighted the same pattern. We talk about these game-changing strategies and listeners would get excited... but then what changes as a result of that? The challenge is that learning about Instagram marketing from an expert is one thing, but figuring out how to implement it in your specific business when you're already working 60-hour weeks with inventory issues and supplier problems? That's something else entirely.The £38 Million Business Lesson (07:00) Matt shares his most expensive business lesson - watching a £6 million annual business drop to £1 million due to a catastrophic supplier relationship. The supplier instituted a "more you buy, more you pay" policy that completely blindsided them. Everything we knew about scaling, about growth, about business economics, they didn't help me one bit. We had to relearn almost everything. This £38 million loss taught Matt that real business isn't about collecting tips and tricks. It's about building systems that survive when everything goes wrong and taking action even without perfect information. In other words: "It's about implementation, not inspiration."What's Changing: Solo Episodes Return (10:00) The eCommerce Podcast is evolving with three episode types:1. Solo Episodes 20-minute deep dives on specific challenges with:Real implementation detailsStories from the trenchesPure, unfiltered insights with no hidden agendaPractical frameworks you can actually...