The collective experiences of e-commerce entrepreneurs reveal various insights and challenges in navigating the dynamic industry. Entrepreneurs emphasize the importance of success factors like luck, tenacity, and supportive partnerships. Strategies for advertising and promoting products involve a data-driven approach and an understanding of target audiences. Passion and perseverance emerge as crucial traits for success, with a focus on weathering the inevitable ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Direct-to-consumer models underscore the significance of constant testing, a scalable supply chain, and adaptability. Challenges include navigating evolving platforms and staying informed about industry changes. The power of a compelling narrative plays a crucial role in building brands and fostering community engagement. Overall, the narratives provide a nuanced glimpse into the multifaceted nature of managing an e-commerce business.
Sherry Zhang, GenoPalate
Armed with a PhD in molecular biology, Sherry Zhang had a vision over a decade ago that everybody has a genome and everybody needs to be healthy — especially in terms of metabolic health (hypertension, inflammation, diabetes, obesity) — and she knew that people could use more direct access to their health. Thus, GenoPalate provides a personalized nutrition, data-driven solution for the world, offering revolutionary at-home DNA tests, one-on-one online nutrition programs led by registered dietitians, and bespoke supplements.
Sherry noted multiple logistical challenges continuously need to be overcome while figuring out how to deliver a scalable business through e-commerce selling combined with in-person experiences. Though offering a complex product model and experience like health is needed and exciting, Sherry says it’s complicated and requires a lot of multi-disciplinary expertise.
Learn more: GenoPalate, Sherry Zhang on LinkedIn
Elliot Justin, Firmtech
While Elliot Justin acknowledges his brand may have faced e-commerce challenges due to being in the sexual health category, his frustration is palpable. He offers two simple words as his top tip to anyone launching their e-commerce business: “Get lucky.” He emphasizes that the amount you consider sufficient won’t be enough; it won’t go viral—unicorns don’t exist—and success will require tenacity, along with the support of spouses and partners. “And that’s it,” he said.
Elliot is CEO of FirmTech, which provides data to customers about their sexual health and sells products to enhance sexual pleasure, assess erectile dysfunction (ED) and cardiovascular risk, and differentiate performance anxiety from physiological ED. FirmTech’s mission is clear: better sex for everyone. Elliot earned an MD from the Boston University School of Medicine. He has started six companies and had four exits.
Learn more: FirmTech, Elliot Justin on LinkedIn
Benjamin Knight Fuchs, Truth Treatment Systems
If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur in the e-commerce world, Benjamin Fuchs warns that you’ll need two essential traits: passion and perseverance. Your product or message, he says, has to be something you’re passionate about. It can’t just be about the money. Your passion, he says, is what will help you persevere through the inevitable ups and downs. Benjamin advises that you’ll encounter many uncontrollable factors; the key is to face and stick with them, refusing to give up.
Benjamin is a registered pharmacist, nutritionist, and skin care chemist who founded Truth Treatment Systems after recognizing the need for topical treatments that worked with skin biochemistry. Truth Treatment Systems provide topical nourishment for the skin, with skin health being the top priority, and are more than cosmetic. Benjamin says Truth Treatment is revolutionizing people’s perspectives on skincare and redefining expectations for the results they can achieve. “We say you’re leaving health, skin health, and skin beauty on the table if you’re not using the Truth skin health products,” said Benjamin.
Learn more: Benjamin Knights Fuchs on LinkedIn, Truth Treatment Systems
Adam Greenfeld, Thesis
Adam Greenfeld co-founded Thesis in 2019 but has recently left the brand after its team grew from six to 45 members—as the brand raised $5 million—by the end of 2021. “I really wasn’t the right leader anymore. I’m really good at the early stage. I’m really good with small teams. But I’m not that organized,” he said. Stepping aside, he let his Co-founder, Dan Freed, take the lead. Dan, with his dual master’s degrees from Yale and INSEAD, provided the company with the necessary structure and strategic direction. While the brand experienced tremendous growth and success, especially during the pandemic, Adam says it was a challenge to build the website, maintain good functionality around the website, provide the appropriate user experience, and gain conversion rate optimization.
Thesis formulates potent nutrient compounds to enhance consumers’ mental performance. By taking a quiz on Thesis’ website, you can receive a personalized recommendation based on your goals and unique brain chemistry. Thesis’ products can help you elevate your energy level, feel more motivated, clear brain fog, and increase focus. 90% of the brand’s customer acquisition comes from Facebook; “we invest heavily in creating really great content,” according to Adam, who remains with Thesis as an advisor.
Learn more: Adam Greenfeld on LinkedIn, Thesis
Zach Williams, Driveforce Golf
If you’re starting your own e-commerce business and seeking effective ways to advertise and promote your product, Zach Williams says finding the right agency to help can be overwhelming. “They all tell you the same thing, but they all don’t necessarily deliver,” said Zach, who recommends seeking a data-driven approach from an ad agency that analyzes outcomes and moves dollars around as ads either underperform or deliver a high performance. The biggest challenge Zach’s brand, Driveforce Golf, has had to overcome is figuring out its target audience and cultivating a message that resonates with that audience.
Zach speaks from experience when he says, “As you get to the back nine, fatigue sets in, your motivation starts to drop, fog starts to accrue, heavy legs, and so on.” Driveforce Golf offers a singular product, DF-18, the most scientifically advanced golf nutrition supplement on the market. It is designed to help golfers get through 18 holes, concentrating on their swing, strategy, and win. Proper nutrition is essential for playing well, and DF-18 boasts the most comprehensive nutritional solution for ultimate golf performance.
Learn more: Zach Williams on LinkedIn, Driveforce Golf
Alex Hauck, Intake Breathing Technology
According to Alex Hauck, the heartbeat of successful direct-to-consumer e-commerce and running your brand is that you are constantly testing and able to move fast. There are many ways to explore a good idea, but launching a product requires knowing everything, from who you get the product from to manufacturing to scalability. Therefore, you must understand your unit’s economics and ensure a scalable supply chain before you launch.
Intake is an industry-leading product that helps users achieve optimal nasal breathing. The brand’s singular product uses magnets in the band that attach to metal in the nose strips to open the nose. Alex said once he knew he had a functional product, the biggest challenge was moving towards establishing a stable business. Marketing was easy because it was visibly demonstrable that the product worked, but dealing with logistics presented multiple difficulties, transitioning from a single, manageable machine to large-scale manufacturing.
Learn more: Alex Hauck on LinkedIn, Intake Breathing Technology
Jon Neveloff, King Kanine
King Kanine, where Jon Neveloff is Partner and Chief Revenue Officer, started by selling only a grooming tool: King Comb. While the item was a tremendous seller—Jon said hundreds of thousands have been sold—customers usually bought one and didn’t return. “So what else can we do to keep them coming back? We came up with a shampoo to go with the whole grooming thing,” Jon recalled, “then (in 2015) we, we kind of fell into, stumbled into the CBD business, which was really at its infant stage.” Selling CBD online presents a myriad of challenges, but Jon said shipping, which they handle themselves, is a massive headache.
While the King Kanine brand has been around since 2015, Jon says it’s still in its infancy. He said it’s constantly expanding and now offers more than 20 products. The company, which consists of dog-passionate people, creates innovative products for dogs, cats, and horses. Their goal is not only to solve problems for pet owners but to enhance pets’ lives. “It’s not easy. It’s not like, hey, get rich quick,” Jon warned. “You still have to work.”
Learn more: Jon Neveloff on LinkedIn, King Kanine
Daniel Barpal, Beyond Balance
One of the biggest challenges for Daniel Barpal, as a small business owner, is that he’s still doing most of the work and finds himself struggling to manage the constantly changing nature and nuances of the various sales platforms like Amazon and Etsy. While Shopify, which Beyond Balance uses for its website, Daniel says, is “always going through an upgrade. You always have to be on top of things.” He added that he could look at Amazon and notice they’ve added a feature, “and you better get on board and add the information. Or, sometimes, I’ve had products removed until the information was corrected.”
Beyond Balance manufactures fitness and physical therapy equipment to treat scoliosis and kyphosis, Pilates training, and overall health and wellness. All of the brand’s equipment is made of natural wood. The top product is a piece of gymnastics equipment developed, Daniel estimates, 130 years ago called the Wood Ladder Stall Bar—an essential tool for non-surgical scoliosis treatment. They’ve been regularly used for over a century but have become popular in North America during the past 10 to 15 years, according to Daniel.
Learn more: Daniel Barpal on LinkedIn, Beyond Balance
Chris Kolodziejski, Chella
One thing Chris Kolodziejski realized about five years ago is that, as an entrepreneur, you can know nothing and still be successful. “It’s your ability. You can’t make that. It has to be real. It has to be a story that resonates with people,” said Chris, who has found that you can build a community around the ability to effectively share your story by understanding your position in the market, who your brand is, who your brand wants to be, and who wants to connect with it. “If you can do that, then you become unstoppable. Then there’s a whole bunch of other things that follow after that.”
Chella is a clean, vegan, cruelty-free, sustainable beauty product focused on the eyes and brows. It’s not full-face makeup but includes everything you need for a natural look, done with the Chella brow and culture. Chella’s target demographic, according to Chris, is 30 to 40-year-old women who are very independent, powerful, and group leaders. They’re interested in Chella products, Chris says, because they want to come off as approachable. “Every product we bring out, we don’t bring it out unless it’s great. It’s going to perform,” said Chris.
Learn more: Chris Kolodziejski on LinkedIn, Chella
Phil Lawler, Automed
Focus on what you’re good at, and if your customers tell you you’re not good at it, keep working on getting better. That’s Phil Lawler’s advice for those who run an e-commerce business. He stresses the importance of identifying your target audience and their expectations and aspirations before engaging with them. As Phil says, staying on top of communications can help accomplish much, which can be a tremendous challenge. Because Automed does business globally, its software has about 15 languages, so the e-commerce platform allows us to communicate across time zones and languages. As a result, translating can be challenging at times.
Automed produces a medication delivery device and software platform to generate tamper-proof treatment records and aid livestock operations. The device is a battery-operated, automatic syringe that monitors and records every treatment administered, including the medication, volume, date, time, location, animal ID, and weight. Phil says the company, where he serves as CEO, has less than 10 employees, and all are responsible for multiple tasks.
Learn more: Phil Lawler on LinkedIn, Automed
Deepti Brambl, Kaylaan
When Deepti Brambl founded Kaylaan in early 2021, she knew the brand needed to grow a community with it. It was crucial to Deepti, as a brown woman, to source materials from communities she related to and to help them. Now, she faces the challenge of continuing to incorporate those communities as they need to meet particular standards. It is vital to her to avoid tapping into a US company that isn’t producing materials in the US and is instead just getting them from China.
Kalyaan manufactures clean toothpaste tablets, which consist of only natural ingredients. Kalyaan aims to provide the best possible dental care, contributing to environmental and economic sustainability. Unlike competing toothpaste manufacturers, Kalyaan’s product doesn’t come in a tube; instead, it arrives in a recyclable and refillable tin, and its plastic-free packaging consists of recycled material. It naturally sources its ingredients to support the green economy and minimize its ecological footprint.
Learn more: Deepti Brambl on LinkedIn, Kalyaan
Austin Wiberg, Standard Self Care
Austin Wiberg, who owns an e-commerce business specializing in skincare, is an unabashed endorser of Spotify. “I’ve used that to sell everything underneath the sun, from clothing to skincare,” he mused. “They make it easy on the back end for people that are just starting. And then you can kind of develop the internal structure.” Once you become a more experienced user, he says you start to understand that every small change made on the back end directly correlates to changes on the front end, especially concerning products.
Standard Self Care is a wellness brand out of Los Angeles that concentrates on skincare because the skin is the body’s largest organ. After seeing a lack of clarity and a lot of confusion for the consumer, Austin’s brand started “a list of no’s” to make clear what a customer can expect—part of its journey to empower consumers’ self-care rituals through transparency and education woven into the DNA of Standard Self Care products. As a result, consumers can be confident that they will not receive silicones, artificial fragrances, fillers, synthetic chemicals, or artificial colors, among other things, when making an order.
Learn more: Austin Wiberg on LinkedIn, Standard Self Care
Briana Borten, The Dragontree
While a great website is essential for a successful e-commerce business, understanding the data it provides is equally crucial. Briana Borten highlights the importance of insights such as the time people spend on your site on each page, conversion rates, and the reasons behind conversions and non-conversions. You may be generating a ton of traffic, but it’s possible that your page isn’t appealing to the visitors you’re getting. “So,” she says, “look at all those numbers and know what they mean for you and what to do about what those numbers are saying.”
Briana’s company, The Dragontree, is a wellness brand with physical locations but also offers products and books geared toward creating whole-life wellness. The brand produces all-natural external pain relief products and also provides a planner that tells you how to get into your dreams, dissect them into specific goals, and then move those actions into your calendar. The three most popular products are the pain relief patch designed for muscles, the dream book, and the candle. “We have candles and intention papers,” said Briana. “Just lots of things for creating a life that is often kind of spiritually focused.”
Learn more: Briana Borten on LinkedIn, The Dragontree
Dan Cafferky, The Lift Box
Content is king, says Dan Cafferky, whose e-commerce brand always has a steady stream of content flowing, with some regularly in reserve. “We’re not scrambling, and we don’t have these long periods or gaps where we’re not publishing new stuff,” said Dan. “We go find people who make content for a living. We pay them about $150 for a video, and we’re constantly finding those people every month who are unboxing our products and talking about them. We have them send us those videos. That way, we always have a library.”
Dan co-founded The Lift Box in 2017, shipping out a fitness subscription box every month to customers across the United States. The box includes sample supplements, healthy snacks, gear or accessories, and a t-shirt. People trust the brand to find new, trendy products to try that are related to health and wellness. “They want to try as much stuff as possible,” said Dan. “There’s a protein brownie that Alpha Prime makes that was probably the best snack of the year, and our audience is the caffeinated type.”
Learn more: Dan Cafferky on LinkedIn, The Lift Box
Giella Poblocki, Giella
If you’re starting a new e-commerce business, Giella Poblocki advises, it would be to your advantage if you have a unique selling point that will make you stand out. “There needs to be a point of difference, a unique selling point,” said Giella. “What would you say is yours?” The compelling story and unique difference that defines her brand is the custom blend of all cosmetics on the spot. The Giella brand has a laboratory and about 100 different pigments. Consumers can choose any color they want; she notes, everything is laid for them on the spot.
She launched her business more than 20 years ago in New York City. Giella offers customized foundation, powder, blush, eye-lighters, eye shadow, and more. The brand keeps every customer’s formula on file. She says the customization has allowed her brand to compete with larger companies that can afford to spend on search engine optimization; “it is a big issue because I can’t compete with that.” Giella depends heavily on organic marketing and word of mouth.
Learn more: Giella Poblocki on LinkedIn, Giella
Parag Shah, KÖPPEN
KÖPPEN is building the world’s first modern-day brand around Ayurveda. Ayurveda is the oldest health and wellness system and the sister science to yoga. Founder Parag Shah says its primary customer base is anyone interested in health and wellness, specifically holistic health. Its top-selling product is a tongue scraper made from copper sourced in India. The EPA recognizes copper as the most antimicrobial and antibacterial metal. According to Parag, copper kills any germs it comes into contact with within two hours, which differs from stainless steel and plastic.
“If you don’t have deep pockets, it’s really difficult to do (paid ads),” said Parag. “We are very bootstrapped, so we did not take that route.” Parag’s recommendation for any new e-commerce business, especially if it can’t afford paid ads, is to get founders to be the face of the company and scale through organic content strategies using emerging technologies and trends like TikTok. He suggests consistently creating a plethora of content, allowing you to talk about your product firsthand, its benefits, your brand, and your company.
Learn more: Parag Shah on LinkedIn, KÖPPEN
Douglas Smith, True Nutrition
Considering the ease of selling online, Douglas Smith knows the free market has made many consumer goods competitive. “There are a lot of really good products out there,” he says, “which is great for the consumer but makes it more difficult to operate as a company.” As a result, he points out the need for a robust brand, a clear idea of what your brand is, and how it differentiates yourself “from the 50 other competitors that you’re going to have out there.” Because of Amazon, he asserts, “e-commerce is dying. You almost have to have your miniature e-commerce platform within the Amazon platform. If you don’t have them, you must be a strong brand to not rely on Amazon.”
Douglas launched True Nutrition more than 20 years ago; he recalled, “When Amazon only sold books, and everybody was like, ‘I’ll never put my credit card online.’ So funnily, I guess we were a little ahead of our time.” At the time, he’d characterize the brand’s primary consumer base as “male meatheads,” but it is now split evenly between males and females. The best-selling products are protein powders. Douglas says the same customers from 20 years ago are still buying True Nutrition products, but the brand is now popular with new audiences such as vegans, people with different health issues, and people trying to lose weight.
Learn more: Douglas Smith on LinkedIn, True Nutrition
Seth Spears, Wellnesse
Seth Spears, the Founder of Wellnesse, shared one key piece of advice from his experiences in the e-commerce sector: the importance of consistently doing “the right things long enough.” He emphasized that success in e-commerce, or any venture, hinges on identifying the right strategies, being patient, and maintaining consistency, even though these parameters might differ for each business. Moreover, Seth revealed a consistent challenge they faced at Wellnesse: mastering paid ads. Navigating the ever-changing landscape of platforms like Facebook and Instagram proved tricky, and it took them about two and a half years to achieve a positive return on ad spend.
Wellnesse, launched in January 2020, is an e-commerce company specializing in all-natural personal care products, focusing on oral, hair, and skincare. The company has quickly become known for its high-quality toothpaste, their best-selling product. Seth highlighted the unique attributes of their toothpaste, including its natural and organic ingredients and its whitening and remineralizing properties. He proudly pointed out that they avoid using harmful additives common in other brands. Wellnesse’s commitment to quality is evident in its products, which have garnered hundreds of five-star reviews and notable customer satisfaction.
Learn more: Seth Spears on LinkedIn, Wellnesse
Motty Wolodarsky, Digital Edge
Motty Wolodarsky, the Founder of Digital Edge, shared invaluable advice for e-commerce businesses, emphasizing the importance of innovation and competitive thinking. He suggests that companies should innovate as if they were their competitor, constantly analyzing their weaknesses and taking bold steps, even if it means overshadowing their current bestsellers. This approach is crucial for established brands leading in their categories, ensuring they stay ahead in the dynamic e-commerce landscape. Motty highlights that good advice must be contextual and tailored to a brand’s specific stage and aspirations.
Digital Edge, established by Motty about six years ago, has been instrumental in helping businesses grow on Amazon. The company excels in ad spend and offers various services, from launching new products to dominating categories. Motty describes Digital Edge as an agency that integrates closely with its clients, adopting an in-house approach to create customized strategies that align with each business’s objectives. A key aspect of their success is leveraging the Amazon advertising platform to maximize returns beyond mere ad sales, taking advantage of Amazon’s high-intent purchasing environment. Through Digital Edge, Motty and his team have been pivotal in scaling numerous businesses on Amazon, marking their presence as a distinguished entity in the e-commerce world.
Learn more: Motty Wolodarsky on LinkedIn, Digital Edge
Anthony Balduzzi
Anthony Balduzzi is the passionate force behind two thriving online businesses aimed at helping parents over 40 achieve a healthier lifestyle amidst the chaos of modern living. His flagship ventures, Fit Father Project and Fit Mother Project, are designed to offer a comprehensive solution for weight loss and health management, targeting dads and moms frequently caught in the demanding whirlwind of raising children and pursuing careers. The heart of both businesses is an all-access membership program, providing meticulously crafted meal plans, workout routines, and community support. The source of Anthony’s inspiration lies in a deeply personal event — the loss of his father during his youth. Arising from this defining moment was a determination to create a system that equips busy parents to sustain a health-oriented life, managing their daily responsibilities without becoming overwhelmed.
The products that have especially resonated with Anthony’s audience are the Super Fuel protein powder, an all-in-one protein, probiotic, and multivitamin mix designed to simplify and energize the morning routine for busy individuals. Additionally, supplements that cater to the hormonal changes of people over 40, such as metabolism boosters and hormone balancers, have also become quite popular. As an e-commerce entrepreneur, Anthony stresses the importance of creating a robust brand and developing a ‘moat’ through consistent messaging and a strong community. He highlights the reality of fierce competition in customer acquisition and the necessity to stand out through unique product offerings and engaging branding. Moreover, his approach combines long-term, organic growth strategies with immediate, paid advertising tactics, emphasizing the need for differentiation and community-building in the competitive e-commerce landscape.
Learn more: Anthony Balducci on LinkedIn, Fit Father | Fit Mother