Master the art of business with the UpFlip Podcast
The podcast where we uncover how great businesses are built. How they're run behind the scenes. And how you can replicate their success.
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Meet the hosts behind our podcast
Get to know two of the best hosts that are behind the UpFlip podcast.
John Palumbo
John is the founder of BigHeads Network, a full-service podcast production company that helps companies and leaders leverage podcasts in unique (even unexpected) ways to reach key audiences, including consumers, customers, employees, candidates and more. He founded BigHeads in 2006 and just like any entrepreneurial venture, he's made some pivots along the way.
Ryan Atkinson
Ryan Atkinson, a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Iowa, is the CEO and Co-Founder of Spacebar Visuals. After graduating from The University of Iowa and a brief stint at HubSpot in Boston, Ryan moved to Austin, TX to delve into HealthTech marketing. In November 2022, he launched Spacebar Visuals, quickly achieving over $100K in revenue and collaborating with notable brands like AWS and Vanta. By November 2023, he dedicated himself full-time to his venture. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys working out, reading, traveling, and spending time with friends.
ecommerce business, shopify, embroidery business, custom gifts
101. How a 19-Year-Old Generated $1M in Just 11 Months
In its first 11 months, Soulmate Customs made more than $1 million in revenue and built a following of over 150 million on social media–and teenage founder Keida Dervishi is just getting started. We’ll hear how she started and grew her eCommerce business in this interview.
The entrepreneurial spirit runs in Keida’s family–but, ironically, she didn’t set out to start an embroidery business with her idea for Soulmate Customs. She was on a different quest: to make the perfect birthday gift for her mom. She had a photo embroidered on a sweatshirt, and it was such a hit she realized there was a potential market for these custom gifts. Soon after, she launched the store on Shopify and the orders started pouring in.
Social media has been huge in driving Soulmate Customs’ growth. In this episode, Keida shares her unique social media strategy and what kind of content gets the most engagement. She’ll also talk through the ups and downs she’s experienced on her entrepreneurial journey so far, and the lessons she learned from her parents that helped her start a thriving business at such a young age.
Resources
- https://bit.ly/3AeXCAM Join entrepreneurs like Keida in the Academy
- SoulmateCustoms.com - Find out more about Soulmate Customs
ecommerce, Tech Ventures, ecommerce business, how to start an ecommerce business
74. Make $1 Million a Year with Ecommerce (Here's How)
Brandon Stallings was successful as a local vending business owner, but when he pivoted to an e-commerce business his revenue soared to 6 figures a month. He explains how to start an e-commerce business with huge growth potential in this episode.
SmartBox delivers customized snack boxes packed with healthy, all-natural snacks all around the world. Their combination of convenience, variety, and quality has propelled the business to incredible levels of success since Brandon shifted to an e-commerce business model in 2019.
Expanding his potential customer base to the global scale definitely contributed to SmartBox’s growth. That wasn’t the only reason Brandon’s been so successful, though. He also found e-commerce was a better fit for his skills. He’ll explain what those key skills are in this interview. We’ll also hear how he adjusted his systems and operations from local vending to an e-commerce business model, and how committing to values like sustainability has helped him scale his business.
Resources:
- https://bit.ly/3YDThAc Start your ecommerce or vending business today
- SmartBox - Connect with Brandon
ecommerce, Tech Ventures, ecommerce business, how to start an ecommerce business, how to start ecommerce business
42. Secrets of the $9M/Year eCommerce Business
Michael Jackness started his eCommerce business journey in 2012 with the purchase of Treadmill.com. In the decade since, he’s bought, grown, and sold several other websites. As part of EcomCrew, Michael shares his insight on how to start an eCommerce business on their monthly blog and podcast, and now he’s in the UpFlip studio to give that advice directly to our listeners.
With his IT background, Michael is particularly adept on the software side of running an eCommerce business. He talks about the tools they use at EcomCrew and how to utilize strategies like SEO, email marketing, and other tech tools to boost eCommerce revenue. He’ll also get into the nitty-gritty of how to start an eCommerce business, from choosing the right niche and store platform to which marketing and advertising will give you the best return on your investment.
If you’re thinking about starting an eCommerce business, this is a podcast you don’t want to miss! Michael has leveraged his experience and tech knowledge to build a $ 750,000-a-month revenue with 8-12% profit margins, and the tips he’s sharing in this interview can help you to follow in his footsteps.
Resources
- https://bit.ly/3C4yv43 Get 500 free business ideas
- EcomCrew - Learn more from EcomCrew