Ecommerce Conversations

Weston Jon Bouchér is a California-based menswear brand and the name of its founder. He launched the company in 2019 after a decade as a full-time apparel and lifestyle model. He initially sought a white-label supplier with like-minded quality standards. Unsuccessful, he opted instead for “cut-and-sew manufacturing.” T

Mehtab Bhogal is the co-founder of Karta Ventures, a Canada-based acquirer of troubled ecommerce businesses. The firm seeks companies with "issues," such as unpaid taxes, regulatory problems, and founder disputes. He says buying distressed companies is like salvaging a crashed car. "What are the parts worth?" he asks.

Josh Durham launched Aligned Growth Management, an influencer marketing agency, in 2020. He says the influencer industry has evolved from the halcyon days a decade ago when affiliate-based creators could generate 5x returns. Influencer marketing circa 2025, according to Josh, is a long-term play. Success depends on qua

This episode continues my masterclass series on ecommerce entrepreneurship. Thus far in 2025 I"ve addressed branding and profitability. For this installment, I"ll focus on hiring, specifically for marketing, operations, and product personnel. I launched Beadbrand over a decade ago and have hired plenty of employees. Mi

Ryan Rouse has a formula for scaling physical retail sales. First penetrate niche markets, he says, then leverage that success into mainstream chains. He does that with MALK Organics, an Austin, Texas-based plant milk provider. Ryan is MALK"s president, having launched and exited a meal-delivery business and served in

Host Eric Bandholz continues his masterclass series on entrepreneurship. Last week he addressed tactics to increase ecommerce profits amid a slump for many businesses. This week he focuses on branding. He says most people think of branding as logos or design elements. But those items are components, not the essence. A