online income

2023 was a whirlwind year for Amazon FBA industry as the ripple effects of the 2020-2021 bubble bursting were felt by sellers and consumers alike.

Perhaps the largest of these ripple effects was the demise of the Amazon FBA aggregators whose rampant spending and operational shortcomings finally caught up with them. 

In this week’s episode, Amazon expert Mina Elias is back to help us unpack the rollercoaster of changes, surprises, and hurdles faced by Amazon FBA sellers throughout 2023.

Mina provides a snapshot of the current state of the Amazon FBA industry before walking us through the chain of events that led to the downfall of industry giants like the aggregators.

Then, Mina puts his Amazon advertising knowledge on display, revealing the top advertising and brand-building strategies of 2023, as well as tips on how to stand out in the crowded Amazon marketplace as a new seller.

Mina also reveals some juicy information about how Amazon is making gathering customer data that much easier for sellers.

This episode is jam-packed with all the information you need to elevate your FBA business in 2024!

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• A quick overview of Mina’s entrepreneurial journey (02:24)
• A look into Mina’s recent first-ever business exit (03:35)
• A snapshot of the FBA industry today vs the 202-2021 bubble (05:51)
• What caused the demise of the FBA aggregators (12:14)
• Clever new advertising strategies Mina has spotted in the last year (25:00)
• Gathering customer data as an FBA seller (31:21)
• How to stand out in the crowded Amazon marketplace as a new seller (36:59)
• Mina’s predictions on the future of the FBA industry (45:00)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• Trivium Group

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to ramp up your Amazon FBA business in 2024!

2023 was a whirlwind year for Amazon FBA industry as the ripple effects of the 2020-2021 bubble bursting were felt by sellers and consumers alike.

Perhaps the largest of these ripple effects was the demise of the Amazon FBA aggregators whose rampant spending and operational shortcomings finally caught up with them. 

In this week’s episode, Amazon expert Mina Elias is back to help us unpack the rollercoaster of changes, surprises, and hurdles faced by Amazon FBA sellers throughout 2023.

Mina provides a snapshot of the current state of the Amazon FBA industry before walking us through the chain of events that led to the downfall of industry giants like the aggregators.

Then, Mina puts his Amazon advertising knowledge on display, revealing the top advertising and brand-building strategies of 2023, as well as tips on how to stand out in the crowded Amazon marketplace as a new seller.

Mina also reveals some juicy information about how Amazon is making gathering customer data that much easier for sellers.

This episode is jam-packed with all the information you need to elevate your FBA business in 2024!

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• A quick overview of Mina’s entrepreneurial journey (02:24)
• A look into Mina’s recent first-ever business exit (03:35)
• A snapshot of the FBA industry today vs the 202-2021 bubble (05:51)
• What caused the demise of the FBA aggregators (12:14)
• Clever new advertising strategies Mina has spotted in the last year (25:00)
• Gathering customer data as an FBA seller (31:21)
• How to stand out in the crowded Amazon marketplace as a new seller (36:59)
• Mina’s predictions on the future of the FBA industry (45:00)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• Trivium Group

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to ramp up your Amazon FBA business in 2024!

We are back with a brand new episode!
__________________________________________

Nothing is certain except death and taxes.

As a business owner, taxes are a double whammy—they affect both your personal and business life.

Imagine working hard to build a business that’s set to change your life when you sell it, only to watch taxes eat away at your profits.

Thankfully, there are savvy tricks entrepreneurs can use to shrink taxes and pump up profits when selling their businesses.

That’s where Crystal Stranger comes in. Crystal is the Partner & COO of Cleer Tax, a company that helps US businesses and entrepreneurs navigate their taxes. 

In this episode, Crystal joins us to discuss the various strategies entrepreneurs can use to reduce the amount of tax incurred when building and selling their online business. 

She unpacks the most common types of taxes that businesses encounter and how to structure your business to cut down on the taxes you have to pay.

Crystal also exposes the big tax blunders many business owners make—like skipping tax filings or setting up shop in high-tax states. According to Crystal,

“A big mistake I see entrepreneurs make is using state addresses for vanity reasons, like having a California or New York address to make their business look established or cool. Some entrepreneurs also sign up for mailing addresses without specifying the location. Putting these addresses on your website, invoices or communications can create large tax liabilities in those states.”

We also dissect the differences between an asset sale and a stock sale, with Crystal explaining how a stock sale can save non-US business owners massive amounts of money!

You might not dodge taxes completely, but armed with the insights from this episode, you can certainly trim your tax bill and safeguard your hard-earned profits!

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Crystal’s background and how she ended up helping entrepreneurs with tax (02:23)
• The most common types of taxes that businesses encounter (06:08)
• The differences between LLC and C corp (09:45)
• Structuring your exit as an eCommerce business owner (12:23)
• How the Nexus tax system works for sales tax (19:26)
• The common tax mistakes entrepreneurs make when selling their business (31:09)
• Stock sale vs asset purchase (36:14)
• The best way to use the proceeds of your sale to grow another business (45:49)
• How tax applies to Holdco businesses (51:14)
• How sellers can make their business more attractive from a tax perspective (54:46)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• Cleer Tax

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to reduce your tax liability and maximize your profits!

We are back with a brand new episode!
__________________________________________

Nothing is certain except death and taxes.

As a business owner, taxes are a double whammy—they affect both your personal and business life.

Imagine working hard to build a business that’s set to change your life when you sell it, only to watch taxes eat away at your profits.

Thankfully, there are savvy tricks entrepreneurs can use to shrink taxes and pump up profits when selling their businesses.

That’s where Crystal Stranger comes in. Crystal is the Partner & COO of Cleer Tax, a company that helps US businesses and entrepreneurs navigate their taxes. 

In this episode, Crystal joins us to discuss the various strategies entrepreneurs can use to reduce the amount of tax incurred when building and selling their online business. 

She unpacks the most common types of taxes that businesses encounter and how to structure your business to cut down on the taxes you have to pay.

Crystal also exposes the big tax blunders many business owners make—like skipping tax filings or setting up shop in high-tax states. According to Crystal,

“A big mistake I see entrepreneurs make is using state addresses for vanity reasons, like having a California or New York address to make their business look established or cool. Some entrepreneurs also sign up for mailing addresses without specifying the location. Putting these addresses on your website, invoices or communications can create large tax liabilities in those states.”

We also dissect the differences between an asset sale and a stock sale, with Crystal explaining how a stock sale can save non-US business owners massive amounts of money!

You might not dodge taxes completely, but armed with the insights from this episode, you can certainly trim your tax bill and safeguard your hard-earned profits!

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Crystal’s background and how she ended up helping entrepreneurs with tax (02:23)
• The most common types of taxes that businesses encounter (06:08)
• The differences between LLC and C corp (09:45)
• Structuring your exit as an eCommerce business owner (12:23)
• How the Nexus tax system works for sales tax (19:26)
• The common tax mistakes entrepreneurs make when selling their business (31:09)
• Stock sale vs asset purchase (36:14)
• The best way to use the proceeds of your sale to grow another business (45:49)
• How tax applies to Holdco businesses (51:14)
• How sellers can make their business more attractive from a tax perspective (54:46)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• Cleer Tax

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to reduce your tax liability and maximize your profits!

How do you integrate your business into consumers’ lives and have your products playing on their minds, even when they’re not online? Today’s guest believes Pinterest is the key to deepening customer engagement.

In this episode, we talk to Kate Ahl, the founder of Simple Pin Media, a marketing agency that creates personalized Pinterest marketing strategies for online businesses. Kate also created the Simple Pin Podcast, a popular Pinterest-focused podcast that boasts over a million downloads.

Kate has a unique take on Pinterest, believing that it doesn’t fit in with the likes of Instagram and Facebook. She has often stated:

“Pinterest is very much like Google. It is not a social media platform, it is a search and discovery network.”

In this interview, Kate elaborates on this concept and explains how patience is a virtue when marketing on this unique platform – which can pay off handsomely. We also dig into what makes Pinterest users tick and how entrepreneurs can leverage Pinterest to grow their traffic and boost their brand awareness. 

Kate walks us through how the pinning platform has changed over the years and the new trends that are shaping the Pinterest landscape. Taking these factors into account, Kate discusses the biggest challenges businesses face when using Pinterest and how to go about setting up a successful Pinterest marketing strategy for years to come.

If you feel like your Pinterest marketing is lacking that extra oomph, you don’t want to miss out on this episode!

Topics Discussed in this episode:

• How Kate got started on Pinterest and the birth of Simple Pin Media (02:04)
• Why Pinterest is a search and discovery network, not a social media platform (07:52)
• How Pinterest can supplement your SEO to bring in floods of traffic to your site (09:19)
• How the Pinterest ecosystem has evolved over the years (14:18)
• What it takes to be successful and the trends driving Pinterest today (17:27)
• The Pinterest Verified Merchant Program and buying intent on Pinterest (21:58)
• Is Pinterest the right platform for Amazon sellers? (29:03)
• The steps to starting a successful Pinterest marketing strategy (35:46)
• Kate’s biggest success story growing client’s businesses through Pinterest (44:12)
• The biggest challenges that businesses encounter when using Pinterest (47:03)
• How Kate built her Simple Pin Media team by training women in her community (51:25)
• What Kate’s podcast has shown her about the power of the Pinterest community (54:18)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcast
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Simple Pin Media
• Canva

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a Pinterest marketing strategy that will shine a spotlight on your business!

How do you integrate your business into consumers’ lives and have your products playing on their minds, even when they’re not online? Today’s guest believes Pinterest is the key to deepening customer engagement.

In this episode, we talk to Kate Ahl, the founder of Simple Pin Media, a marketing agency that creates personalized Pinterest marketing strategies for online businesses. Kate also created the Simple Pin Podcast, a popular Pinterest-focused podcast that boasts over a million downloads.

Kate has a unique take on Pinterest, believing that it doesn’t fit in with the likes of Instagram and Facebook. She has often stated:

“Pinterest is very much like Google. It is not a social media platform, it is a search and discovery network.”

In this interview, Kate elaborates on this concept and explains how patience is a virtue when marketing on this unique platform – which can pay off handsomely. We also dig into what makes Pinterest users tick and how entrepreneurs can leverage Pinterest to grow their traffic and boost their brand awareness. 

Kate walks us through how the pinning platform has changed over the years and the new trends that are shaping the Pinterest landscape. Taking these factors into account, Kate discusses the biggest challenges businesses face when using Pinterest and how to go about setting up a successful Pinterest marketing strategy for years to come.

If you feel like your Pinterest marketing is lacking that extra oomph, you don’t want to miss out on this episode!

Topics Discussed in this episode:

• How Kate got started on Pinterest and the birth of Simple Pin Media (02:04)
• Why Pinterest is a search and discovery network, not a social media platform (07:52)
• How Pinterest can supplement your SEO to bring in floods of traffic to your site (09:19)
• How the Pinterest ecosystem has evolved over the years (14:18)
• What it takes to be successful and the trends driving Pinterest today (17:27)
• The Pinterest Verified Merchant Program and buying intent on Pinterest (21:58)
• Is Pinterest the right platform for Amazon sellers? (29:03)
• The steps to starting a successful Pinterest marketing strategy (35:46)
• Kate’s biggest success story growing client’s businesses through Pinterest (44:12)
• The biggest challenges that businesses encounter when using Pinterest (47:03)
• How Kate built her Simple Pin Media team by training women in her community (51:25)
• What Kate’s podcast has shown her about the power of the Pinterest community (54:18)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcast
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Simple Pin Media
• Canva

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a Pinterest marketing strategy that will shine a spotlight on your business!

What is the secret to creating the fastest-growing startup in Canada before the age of 24?

For Blair Forrest, the answer lay in identifying the nexus between a common pain point for FBA business owners, and an untapped gap in the logistics market. 

While Amazon helps out by delivering products to consumers, the onus is on the seller to receive, store, label, and transport the inventory to Amazon fulfillment centers. It was here that Blair identified an opportunity.

Blair is the founder of AMZ Prep, an end-to-end fulfillment solution for Amazon FBA sellers. AMZ Prep stores, preps, packs, and ships inventory to Amazon on behalf of sellers, saving them precious time and resources.  

In this episode, Blair joins us to discuss the common logistical pitfalls that FBA sellers experience and outlines the various ways FBA sellers can optimize their logistics. According to Blair,

“A lot of businesses have a fragmented approach to logistics, which is often why they don’t get the valuation that they want, or why they’re not able to scale. What turns a good seller into a great seller is optimizing their fulfillment with a solid partner that has multiple warehouses, and can expand you to other marketplaces like Shopify and Walmart.” 

Blair also shares insights into how he juggled starting and scaling a business while being a full-time student, and the various lessons he has learned along the way. 

If you want to learn how to structure your logistics and inventory management like an FBA all-star, then this is the episode for you!

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Blair walks us through his entrepreneurial journey so far (03:55)
• How Blair juggled running a business and being a full-time student (14:30)
• The gap in the market that inspired Blair to create AMZ Prep (18:28)
• Some common pain-points Amazon Sellers are experiencing today (22:17)
• How to streamline your Amazon logistics (29:16) 
• The common mistakes FBA sellers make when it comes to logistics (36:50)
• The secret to Blair’s success (46:20)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcast
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• AMZ Prep
• Notion
• Minimalist journaling article

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to create a logistics strategy that will set you up for future success. 

While every business faces its own unique challenges, many early-stage SaaS startups share common characteristics that can dictate their success or downfall.

Figuring out what makes these startups thrive and what causes them to crumble requires years of expertise and industry knowledge.

Having invested in and worked with over 450 pre-seed & seed stage SaaS startups, Marvin Liao has certainly earned his stripes when it comes to identifying and nurturing profitable and sustainable SaaS businesses.

In this episode, Marvin joins us to discuss everything early-stage SaaS founders should be doing. He provides actionable tips and advice including focusing on a narrowed-down, niche audience, remembering to listen to your gut instead of relying solely on data, and waiting until your business is more established before raising growth capital. According to Marvin, 

“I’ve found that, in general, bootstrap founders are better at running businesses. Money can be a crutch. You figure out business basics faster when you don’t have a lot of money. It forces you to not waste time. So, bootstrap first, and then once you’ve gained traction and have a better sense of what you’re building and who you’re targeting – that’s the time to raise funding.”

Marvin also touches on the common mistakes that SaaS founders make, like modeling themselves after industry giants, spreading their focus too thin instead of doubling down on what works, and undercharging for their software while it’s still a work in progress. 

If your SaaS business is still in its infancy, then you can’t afford to miss out on Marvin’s expert insights to help your business reach its full potential.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Why startups shouldn’t model themselves after business giants (02:00)
• Marvin explains why he’s the Forest Gump of Silicon Valley (15:04)
• Why early-stage SaaS founders should focus on bootstrapping instead of VC funding (20:55)
• How to balance data-driven decisions with creative “gut-driven” decisions (28:58) 
• What SaaS founders get wrong when pricing their products (31:26)
• The benefits of focusing on a narrow, niche audience as a startup (35:34)
• The common mistakes SaaS founders make when trying to scale (38:54)
• The criteria Marvin looks at when investing in a business (40:20)
• It’s easier than ever to create a successful SaaS startup (45:37)
• The best professional advice Marvin has ever been given or heard (50:38)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcast
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• The Hard Fork by Marvin Liao
• The Next Big Blue-Collar Job Is Coding
• Conversion Crimes
• Wayback Machine
• Justine Musk’s Quora post

Sit back, grab a coffee, and listen in as we pick the brain of an early-stage SaaS expert!

Considering Google was created only 25 years ago, finding someone who has been working in the online marketing and affiliate industry for almost 18 years is rare.

All the way back in 2005, Matt McWilliams created an affiliate program in a last-ditch effort to earn money for his business that was nearing bankruptcy. The affiliate program took off, growing from zero to more than $1,000,000 a month in only 18 months. Matt hasn’t looked back since.

In this episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to run an affiliate program. 

We dive into Matt’s war stories from years in the industry, the foundations of a good affiliate program, and why Matt has chosen to stay in the affiliate world for so many years. Matt explains, 

“The thing I love about affiliate marketing is it's relatively risk-free because you don't pay affiliates until you make money. Whereas you have to pay Facebook before you make any money from your Facebook ads.”

Matt also sets the story straight on the difficulties of creating an affiliate program, explaining that it takes time to build up a steady flow of revenue and that attracting the right breed of affiliate partners can be a trial-and-error process.

If you’re thinking of joining the affiliate industry, then don’t miss out on this peek behind the curtain from an affiliate program veteran.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Matt’s background and how he got involved in the affiliate industry (02:52)
• The importance of having a good relationship with your affiliate partners (10:55)
• The type of affiliates Matt has served (23:03) 
• The 3-5 core elements a beginner should focus on when building their affiliate site  (28:08)
• AI in affiliate marketing (30:29)
• Should every business have an affiliate program? (37:33)
• How to set up an affiliate program for a small business (38:05)
• Matt’s funniest moment in internet marketing (53:15)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• MattMcwilliams.com/empire 
• Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

Sit back, grab a coffee, and get a behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of the affiliate program industry!

Considering Google was created only 25 years ago, finding someone who has been working in the online marketing and affiliate industry for almost 18 years is rare.

All the way back in 2005, Matt McWilliams created an affiliate program in a last-ditch effort to earn money for his business that was nearing bankruptcy. The affiliate program took off, growing from zero to more than $1,000,000 a month in only 18 months. Matt hasn’t looked back since.

In this episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to run an affiliate program. 

We dive into Matt’s war stories from years in the industry, the foundations of a good affiliate program, and why Matt has chosen to stay in the affiliate world for so many years. Matt explains, 

“The thing I love about affiliate marketing is it's relatively risk-free because you don't pay affiliates until you make money. Whereas you have to pay Facebook before you make any money from your Facebook ads.”

Matt also sets the story straight on the difficulties of creating an affiliate program, explaining that it takes time to build up a steady flow of revenue and that attracting the right breed of affiliate partners can be a trial-and-error process.

If you’re thinking of joining the affiliate industry, then don’t miss out on this peek behind the curtain from an affiliate program veteran.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Matt’s background and how he got involved in the affiliate industry (02:52)
• The importance of having a good relationship with your affiliate partners (10:55)
• The type of affiliates Matt has served (23:03) 
• The 3-5 core elements a beginner should focus on when building their affiliate site  (28:08)
• AI in affiliate marketing (30:29)
• Should every business have an affiliate program? (37:33)
• How to set up an affiliate program for a small business (38:05)
• Matt’s funniest moment in internet marketing (53:15)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• MattMcwilliams.com/empire 
• Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

Sit back, grab a coffee, and get a behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of the affiliate program industry!

Considering Google was created only 25 years ago, finding someone who has been working in the online marketing and affiliate industry for almost 18 years is rare.

All the way back in 2005, Matt McWilliams created an affiliate program in a last-ditch effort to earn money for his business that was nearing bankruptcy. The affiliate program took off, growing from zero to more than $1,000,000 a month in only 18 months. Matt hasn’t looked back since.

In this episode, Matt gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to run an affiliate program. 

We dive into Matt’s war stories from years in the industry, the foundations of a good affiliate program, and why Matt has chosen to stay in the affiliate world for so many years. Matt explains, 

“The thing I love about affiliate marketing is it's relatively risk-free because you don't pay affiliates until you make money. Whereas you have to pay Facebook before you make any money from your Facebook ads.”

Matt also sets the story straight on the difficulties of creating an affiliate program, explaining that it takes time to build up a steady flow of revenue and that attracting the right breed of affiliate partners can be a trial-and-error process.

If you’re thinking of joining the affiliate industry, then don’t miss out on this peek behind the curtain from an affiliate program veteran.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Matt’s background and how he got involved in the affiliate industry (02:52)
• The importance of having a good relationship with your affiliate partners (10:55)
• The type of affiliates Matt has served (23:03) 
• The 3-5 core elements a beginner should focus on when building their affiliate site  (28:08)
• AI in affiliate marketing (30:29)
• Should every business have an affiliate program? (37:33)
• How to set up an affiliate program for a small business (38:05)
• Matt’s funniest moment in internet marketing (53:15)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• MattMcwilliams.com/empire 
• Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell

Sit back, grab a coffee, and get a behind-the-scenes peek into the inner workings of the affiliate program industry!

This week we are revisiting an extra special episode of The Opportunity podcast. 

In this episode, Greg looks back on a few of our most memorable interviews to review the top 7 lessons learned from the last 100 shows. 

You’ll hear many familiar voices as some of our favorite entrepreneurs and industry experts share their top tips for building, running, and scaling successful online businesses.

Greg acts as our guide, walking us through each lesson and sharing his own unique insights and pearls of wisdom. One of Greg’s top takeaways includes,

“If you want to build wealth, don’t focus on making money today. Focus on making an experience that will create fans of yours for years to come. Because if you make enough of those fans you’re going to create a snowball effect that’ll carry you far into the future.”

Join in the celebration by letting us know which episode or guest has been your favorite so far!

Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family so that they can join us for the next 100 episodes where we’ll continue to uncover all of the hidden growth opportunities in the online business industry.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Lesson 1: Creating a Machine of Leverage by Knowing the Value of Your Time (02:07)
• Lesson 2: Learning to Love Risk to Create Wealth (10:30)
• Lesson 3: Spending 9 Hours Sharpening the Axe, and One Hour Cutting Down the Tree (17:07)
• Lesson 4: Creating Value While Respecting Your Audience’s Time (26:33)
• Lesson 5: Communication and Thinking in Four Degrees of Impact (31:43)
• Lesson 6: Why the Best Marketing Isn’t a Tactic, It’s an Experience (39:45)
• Lesson 7: Persistence Through Adversarial Wins (44:23)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcast
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• Jobs to be Done Framework

Featured Guests:

• Kevin Espiritu (Ep #87)
• Matt Diggity (Ep #23)
• Sushee Nzeutem (Ep #59)
• John Hefter (Ep #19)
• Emma Shermer Tamir (Ep #49)
• Doron Wolffberg (Ep #41)
• Perrin Carrell (Ep #79)
• Alexis Grant (Ep #84)
• Chelsea Cohen (Ep #42)
• Fabricio Miranda (Ep #91)
• Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul (Ep #74)
• Nicole Baqcai (Ep #55)
• Ben Donovan (Ep #71)
• Bill Szabrak (Ep #6)

Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a trip down memory lane as we discuss the valuable lessons learned from the past 100 episodes.

This week we are revisiting an extra special episode of The Opportunity podcast. 

In this episode, Greg looks back on a few of our most memorable interviews to review the top 7 lessons learned from the last 100 shows. 

You’ll hear many familiar voices as some of our favorite entrepreneurs and industry experts share their top tips for building, running, and scaling successful online businesses.

Greg acts as our guide, walking us through each lesson and sharing his own unique insights and pearls of wisdom. One of Greg’s top takeaways includes,

“If you want to build wealth, don’t focus on making money today. Focus on making an experience that will create fans of yours for years to come. Because if you make enough of those fans you’re going to create a snowball effect that’ll carry you far into the future.”

Join in the celebration by letting us know which episode or guest has been your favorite so far!

Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family so that they can join us for the next 100 episodes where we’ll continue to uncover all of the hidden growth opportunities in the online business industry.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Lesson 1: Creating a Machine of Leverage by Knowing the Value of Your Time (02:07)
• Lesson 2: Learning to Love Risk to Create Wealth (10:30)
• Lesson 3: Spending 9 Hours Sharpening the Axe, and One Hour Cutting Down the Tree (17:07)
• Lesson 4: Creating Value While Respecting Your Audience’s Time (26:33)
• Lesson 5: Communication and Thinking in Four Degrees of Impact (31:43)
• Lesson 6: Why the Best Marketing Isn’t a Tactic, It’s an Experience (39:45)
• Lesson 7: Persistence Through Adversarial Wins (44:23)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcast
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• Jobs to be Done Framework

Featured Guests:

• Kevin Espiritu (Ep #87)
• Matt Diggity (Ep #23)
• Sushee Nzeutem (Ep #59)
• John Hefter (Ep #19)
• Emma Shermer Tamir (Ep #49)
• Doron Wolffberg (Ep #41)
• Perrin Carrell (Ep #79)
• Alexis Grant (Ep #84)
• Chelsea Cohen (Ep #42)
• Fabricio Miranda (Ep #91)
• Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul (Ep #74)
• Nicole Baqcai (Ep #55)
• Ben Donovan (Ep #71)
• Bill Szabrak (Ep #6)

Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a trip down memory lane as we discuss the valuable lessons learned from the past 100 episodes.

This week we are revisiting an extra special episode of The Opportunity podcast. 
In this episode, Greg looks back on a few of our most memorable interviews to review the top 7 lessons learned from the last 100 shows. 

You’ll hear many familiar voices as some of our favorite entrepreneurs and industry experts share their top tips for building, running, and scaling successful online businesses.

Greg acts as our guide, walking us through each lesson and sharing his own unique insights and pearls of wisdom. One of Greg’s top takeaways includes,

“If you want to build wealth, don’t focus on making money today. Focus on making an experience that will create fans of yours for years to come. Because if you make enough of those fans you’re going to create a snowball effect that’ll carry you far into the future.”

Join in the celebration by letting us know which episode or guest has been your favorite so far!

Be sure to share this episode with your friends and family so that they can join us for the next 100 episodes where we’ll continue to uncover all of the hidden growth opportunities in the online business industry.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Lesson 1: Creating a Machine of Leverage by Knowing the Value of Your Time (02:07)
• Lesson 2: Learning to Love Risk to Create Wealth (10:30)
• Lesson 3: Spending 9 Hours Sharpening the Axe, and One Hour Cutting Down the Tree (17:07)
• Lesson 4: Creating Value While Respecting Your Audience’s Time (26:33)
• Lesson 5: Communication and Thinking in Four Degrees of Impact (31:43)
• Lesson 6: Why the Best Marketing Isn’t a Tactic, It’s an Experience (39:45)
• Lesson 7: Persistence Through Adversarial Wins (44:23)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcast
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• Jobs to be Done Framework

Featured Guests:

• Kevin Espiritu (Ep #87)
• Matt Diggity (Ep #23)
• Sushee Nzeutem (Ep #59)
• John Hefter (Ep #19)
• Emma Shermer Tamir (Ep #49)
• Doron Wolffberg (Ep #41)
• Perrin Carrell (Ep #79)
• Alexis Grant (Ep #84)
• Chelsea Cohen (Ep #42)
• Fabricio Miranda (Ep #91)
• Chelsea Jones and Rachel Saul (Ep #74)
• Nicole Baqcai (Ep #55)
• Ben Donovan (Ep #71)
• Bill Szabrak (Ep #6)

Sit back, grab a coffee, and take a trip down memory lane as we discuss the valuable lessons learned from the past 100 episodes.

In an era where thinking outside the box is paramount, foreign SEO has emerged as a tantalizing strategy for affiliate marketers in search of new frontiers.

While foreign affiliate industries are not as established as their English-language counterparts, competition is less fierce and Google algorithm updates are less frequent and hard-hitting. 

Among the numerous gems in this treasure trove of opportunities, the Dutch affiliate market stands out for its unexplored potential. This is where Niels Zee, a seasoned SEO and affiliate marketer comes into play.

Niels has not only navigated the complexities of affiliate marketing but has also mastered the Dutch affiliate market's distinctive characteristics. 

In this episode, Niels shares his journey from inception to expertise.

We dive into the differences between the US and Dutch affiliate markets, and Niels highlights how language and cultural nuances play a pivotal role in shaping strategies for success. 

From monetization options for Dutch sites to the importance of backlinks in Dutch affiliate marketing, we explored the critical elements that set this market apart. Niels explains, 

“The most important metric for the Dutch market is the amount of incoming links versus outgoing links. Some websites just link out to 10,000 websites and they only get 100 links in. That's not quality. And Google knows that. So really try to shy away from those sites if you’re looking to buy a Dutch affiliate site.”

Moreover, Niels took us through his playbook for nurturing and expanding affiliate sites, sharing his secrets for sustainable growth. He also shares the secret sauce behind structuring acquisition deals that work like a charm as well as the pros and cons of building from scratch versus acquiring established affiliate sites. According to Niels,

“I always prefer to buy a site over building one from scratch. There’s always a sandbox period where you create a domain and then for the next three to six months, nothing happens. That’s very frustrating. It's less risky to start with a domain that's already ranking and bringing in some traffic.”

Listen to this episode to unlock the door to a new realm of possibilities in the world of affiliate marketing.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• How Niels ended up in the affiliate and SEO world (03:16)
• Overcoming language barriers and the key differences in US vs Dutch affiliate markets (10:58)
• Monetization options for Dutch sites (14:24)
• Why backlinks are so important in the Dutch affiliate marketing (17:02)
• Niels’s advice to aspiring affiliates who want to get into the Dutch affiliate market (22:11)
• Niels's experience in building vs buying affiliate sites (24:58)
• How Niels structured his acquisition deals and what he looks for in a site (29:10)
• Niels playbook for growing his sites (35:21)
• How Niels uses AI in his workflow and his views on how it will affect the industry (39:45)
• The growth trends Niels has seen in the Dutch affiliate market (46:10)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• Sign up for our referral program 
• Neils’s LinkedIn profile
• Bol.com affiliate program
• Sitedeals.nl
• Matt Diggity’s affiliate course 
• Authority Hacker courses

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to navigate the exciting world of Dutch affiliate marketing!

In an era where thinking outside the box is paramount, foreign SEO has emerged as a tantalizing strategy for affiliate marketers in search of new frontiers.

While foreign affiliate industries are not as established as their English-language counterparts, competition is less fierce and Google algorithm updates are less frequent and hard-hitting. 

Among the numerous gems in this treasure trove of opportunities, the Dutch affiliate market stands out for its unexplored potential. This is where Niels Zee, a seasoned SEO and affiliate marketer comes into play.

Niels has not only navigated the complexities of affiliate marketing but has also mastered the Dutch affiliate market's distinctive characteristics. 

In this episode, Niels shares his journey from inception to expertise.

We dive into the differences between the US and Dutch affiliate markets, and Niels highlights how language and cultural nuances play a pivotal role in shaping strategies for success. 

From monetization options for Dutch sites to the importance of backlinks in Dutch affiliate marketing, we explored the critical elements that set this market apart. Niels explains, 

“The most important metric for the Dutch market is the amount of incoming links versus outgoing links. Some websites just link out to 10,000 websites and they only get 100 links in. That's not quality. And Google knows that. So really try to shy away from those sites if you’re looking to buy a Dutch affiliate site.”

Moreover, Niels took us through his playbook for nurturing and expanding affiliate sites, sharing his secrets for sustainable growth. He also shares the secret sauce behind structuring acquisition deals that work like a charm as well as the pros and cons of building from scratch versus acquiring established affiliate sites. According to Niels,

“I always prefer to buy a site over building one from scratch. There’s always a sandbox period where you create a domain and then for the next three to six months, nothing happens. That’s very frustrating. It's less risky to start with a domain that's already ranking and bringing in some traffic.”

Listen to this episode to unlock the door to a new realm of possibilities in the world of affiliate marketing.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• How Niels ended up in the affiliate and SEO world (03:16)
• Overcoming language barriers and the key differences in US vs Dutch affiliate markets (10:58)
• Monetization options for Dutch sites (14:24)
• Why backlinks are so important in the Dutch affiliate marketing (17:02)
• Niels’s advice to aspiring affiliates who want to get into the Dutch affiliate market (22:11)
• Niels's experience in building vs buying affiliate sites (24:58)
• How Niels structured his acquisition deals and what he looks for in a site (29:10)
• Niels playbook for growing his sites (35:21)
• How Niels uses AI in his workflow and his views on how it will affect the industry (39:45)
• The growth trends Niels has seen in the Dutch affiliate market (46:10)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to our weekly newsletter 
• Sign up for our referral program 
• Neils’s LinkedIn profile
• Bol.com affiliate program
• Sitedeals.nl
• Matt Diggity’s affiliate course 
• Authority Hacker courses

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to navigate the exciting world of Dutch affiliate marketing!

Many highly skilled SEOs and digital marketers use their expertise to build high-performing websites and other online assets. 

Others recognize that their skill itself is an asset that they can leverage. So they create an agency, hiring out their SEO and PPC expertise to businesses in need.

But building an agency is no walk in the park. How do you rise above the noise and claim your spot in this highly competitive arena?

In this episode, we sit down with two entrepreneurs who’ve walked the talk—David Kauzlaric and Erich Schaefer, the minds behind Agency Elevation. This full-service, white-label agency offers a suite of digital solutions, including SEO, PPC, Facebook Ads, and TikTok Ads. 

Join us as they pull back the curtain on their journey to agency success.

Diving into their strategy, David and Erich unveil the blueprint of Agency Elevation's triumph.

One standout element? Transparent pricing. While many agencies play the hidden-cost game, David and Erich defy the norm by showcasing their pricing upfront, fostering trust and transparency.

With a 100% US-based team, Agency Elevation eliminates the hurdles of time zones and communication, ensuring swift turnarounds and effective collaboration. 

They also walk us through the common characteristics that successful agencies share. The most important ingredient of success? Focusing on a specific niche. According to David and Erich,

“Niche-focused agencies are the easiest to scale because you can get instant credibility with just good branding. All you need is a good offer, good branding, and experience or results in that industry. We see guys going from zero to multiple seven figures in three or four years because they're niche focused.“

So, whether you’re a budding entrepreneur with dreams of agency ownership or a seasoned player aiming to amplify your agency's performance, this episode holds the key. Enjoy!

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• David and Erich’s entrepreneurial journey and how they started their agency (02:09)
• Why Agency Elevation is 100% US based (05:02)
• How David and Erich manage to serve a high variety of niches and services (09:03)
• How the agency is structured in order to scale and stand out from the crowd (18:11)
• The service hierarchy that David and Erich recommend to their customers ( 22:22)
• Why David and Erich prioritize being transparent about their pricing (25:12)
• The common traits of successful agencies (33:24)
• The benefits of niching down vs building a general agency (37:18)
• David and Erich's approach to scaling sustainably (42:06)
• Top advice for agency owners who are looking to start and grow (46:55)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter
• Agency Elevation
• GoHighLevel
• David’s Facebook page

Sit back, grab a coffee, and peek behind the curtain of a successful white-label agency!

Shopify store owners have a whirlwind of responsibilities like managing supply chains, keeping tabs on inventory levels, and staying ahead in a competitive market. 

It's no wonder that SEO often takes a backseat.

In the race for quick results, many sellers lean towards paid advertising, but this week’s guest believes that SEO is the real game-changer that will set the stage for skyrocketing sales.

Benjamin Golden is the founder of GoldenWeb, an SEO agency focused on scaling Shopify brands through SEO.

In this episode, Benjamin explains that while paid ads might offer instant gratification, they are no match for the steady and sustainable stream of traffic that SEO can bring to your Shopify store.

He walks us through the first steps to kickstart a thriving Shopify SEO strategy, the crucial role the backlinks play in eCommerce SEO, and how to strike the perfect balance between paid ads and organic traffic.

Benjamin also shares his views on how AI will affect the eCommerce and SEO industries, explaining,

“I think AI will affect every single business, but not in the way that people think.

I like to compare it to the gold rush. It wasn’t everyone that was digging up and mining gold that got rich. It was the people selling the shovels. 

The same thing will happen with AI. Everyone is rushing into building the next AI tool, and some of those businesses will succeed and do well, but that's going to get very saturated, very fast. The people that will really benefit from AI are the ones that learn how to properly integrate AI into their business.’

Finally, Benjamin explains the unique advantages of buying online businesses as an agency owner, using the resources, internal processes, and industry connections the agency has developed to fast-track growth.

If you're an eCommerce store owner then listen up, because this episode is filled with actionable insights and expert tips that will supercharge your store's SEO and sales.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Benjamin’s background and how he became involved in SEO (03:08)
• Why Benjamin chose to focus on SEO specifically for Shopify stores (05:27)
• How eCommerce SEO differs from affiliate SEO (09:38)
• The first steps of a successful Shopify SEO strategy (14:47)
• The crucial role backlinks play in eCommerce SEO (20:17)
• How to allocate your marketing budget between paid ads and SEO (27:34)
• Common SEO mistakes that eCommerce store owners make (32:37) 
• Why Benjamin believes AI is like the gold rush (37:48)
• The reason Benjamin decided to diversify his income by buying a SaaS business (46:55)
• The benefits of buying online businesses as an agency owner (50:37)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter
• GoldenWeb
• Ahrefs

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to propel your Shopify store to unparalleled heights using the power of SEO!

Shopify store owners have a whirlwind of responsibilities like managing supply chains, keeping tabs on inventory levels, and staying ahead in a competitive market. 

It's no wonder that SEO often takes a backseat.

In the race for quick results, many sellers lean towards paid advertising, but this week’s guest believes that SEO is the real game-changer that will set the stage for skyrocketing sales.

Benjamin Golden is the founder of GoldenWeb, an SEO agency focused on scaling Shopify brands through SEO.

In this episode, Benjamin explains that while paid ads might offer instant gratification, they are no match for the steady and sustainable stream of traffic that SEO can bring to your Shopify store.

He walks us through the first steps to kickstart a thriving Shopify SEO strategy, the crucial role the backlinks play in eCommerce SEO, and how to strike the perfect balance between paid ads and organic traffic.

Benjamin also shares his views on how AI will affect the eCommerce and SEO industries, explaining,

“I think AI will affect every single business, but not in the way that people think.

I like to compare it to the gold rush. It wasn’t everyone that was digging up and mining gold that got rich. It was the people selling the shovels. 

The same thing will happen with AI. Everyone is rushing into building the next AI tool, and some of those businesses will succeed and do well, but that's going to get very saturated, very fast. The people that will really benefit from AI are the ones that learn how to properly integrate AI into their business.’

Finally, Benjamin explains the unique advantages of buying online businesses as an agency owner, using the resources, internal processes, and industry connections the agency has developed to fast-track growth.

If you're an eCommerce store owner then listen up, because this episode is filled with actionable insights and expert tips that will supercharge your store's SEO and sales.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Benjamin’s background and how he became involved in SEO (03:08)
• Why Benjamin chose to focus on SEO specifically for Shopify stores (05:27)
• How eCommerce SEO differs from affiliate SEO (09:38)
• The first steps of a successful Shopify SEO strategy (14:47)
• The crucial role backlinks play in eCommerce SEO (20:17)
• How to allocate your marketing budget between paid ads and SEO (27:34)
• Common SEO mistakes that eCommerce store owners make (32:37) 
• Why Benjamin believes AI is like the gold rush (37:48)
• The reason Benjamin decided to diversify his income by buying a SaaS business (46:55)
• The benefits of buying online businesses as an agency owner (50:37)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter
• GoldenWeb
• Ahrefs

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to propel your Shopify store to unparalleled heights using the power of SEO!

Shopify store owners have a whirlwind of responsibilities like managing supply chains, keeping tabs on inventory levels, and staying ahead in a competitive market. 

It's no wonder that SEO often takes a backseat.

In the race for quick results, many sellers lean towards paid advertising, but this week’s guest believes that SEO is the real game-changer that will set the stage for skyrocketing sales.

Benjamin Golden is the founder of GoldenWeb, an SEO agency focused on scaling Shopify brands through SEO.

In this episode, Benjamin explains that while paid ads might offer instant gratification, they are no match for the steady and sustainable stream of traffic that SEO can bring to your Shopify store.

He walks us through the first steps to kickstart a thriving Shopify SEO strategy, the crucial role the backlinks play in eCommerce SEO, and how to strike the perfect balance between paid ads and organic traffic.

Benjamin also shares his views on how AI will affect the eCommerce and SEO industries, explaining,

“I think AI will affect every single business, but not in the way that people think.

I like to compare it to the gold rush. It wasn’t everyone that was digging up and mining gold that got rich. It was the people selling the shovels. 

The same thing will happen with AI. Everyone is rushing into building the next AI tool, and some of those businesses will succeed and do well, but that's going to get very saturated, very fast. The people that will really benefit from AI are the ones that learn how to properly integrate AI into their business.’

Finally, Benjamin explains the unique advantages of buying online businesses as an agency owner, using the resources, internal processes, and industry connections the agency has developed to fast-track growth.

If you're an eCommerce store owner then listen up, because this episode is filled with actionable insights and expert tips that will supercharge your store's SEO and sales.

Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Benjamin’s background and how he became involved in SEO (03:08)
• Why Benjamin chose to focus on SEO specifically for Shopify stores (05:27)
• How eCommerce SEO differs from affiliate SEO (09:38)
• The first steps of a successful Shopify SEO strategy (14:47)
• The crucial role backlinks play in eCommerce SEO (20:17)
• How to allocate your marketing budget between paid ads and SEO (27:34)
• Common SEO mistakes that eCommerce store owners make (32:37) 
• Why Benjamin believes AI is like the gold rush (37:48)
• The reason Benjamin decided to diversify his income by buying a SaaS business (46:55)
• The benefits of buying online businesses as an agency owner (50:37)

Mentions:

• Empire Flippers Podcasts
• Empire Flippers Marketplace
• Schedule a call with our expert sales advisors 
• Create an Empire Flippers account
• Subscribe to the This Week in M&A newsletter
• GoldenWeb
• Ahrefs

Sit back, grab a coffee, and learn how to propel your Shopify store to unparalleled heights using the power of SEO!