EP50: eCommerce in Economic Downturn: Strategies for Resilience

In this episode of the ASOM Pod, hosts Jimmy Kim (CEO of eCom Email Marketer, formally Founder of Sendlane), John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), Bryan MacDonald (Direct of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) unpack how eCommerce brands can stay strong during shaky economic times. From rising acquisition costs to unpredictable consumer behavior, the crew tackles the tough conversations about what it really takes to build a resilient brand when the market turns—and what not to do, using cautionary tales.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• War Chest Wisdom: Why building financial buffers is non-negotiable—and how to start now.
• Knee-Jerk Reactions = Death: Why slowing down and thinking strategically will save your brand.
• Customer Love Is the Moat: How community and loyalty become your unfair advantage.
• Cut Costs, Not Corners: Smart ways to optimize without hurting long-term growth.
• Real Talk Book Club: The team reviews The Hard Thing About Hard Things and what it teaches about navigating hard decisions.
• Vendor Negotiation Playbook: Tips for renegotiating contracts and improving cash flow without burning bridges.
  

This episode is your tactical survival guide for leading through uncertainty. If you want to future-proof your business, make smarter decisions, and turn downturns into opportunity—don’t miss this one.

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Big shoutout to our sponsors who make this podcast possible!

Omnisend — With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences via email and sms with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/

Alia - An app that is revolutionizing how brands turn website visitors into loyal customers. With some of the highest performing pop ups in eCommerce, Alia is helping brands ditch traditional webforms and double down on education, personalization and conversion. We highly recommend you check out :https://www.alialearn.com/

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Come hang out with us IRL - https://commerceroundtable.com

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00:00 Teaser Trailer

02:06 Intro to The ASOM Pod

04:43 Economic Downturn Strategies

13:16 Consumer Sentiment and Business Adjustments

27:44 Cautionary Tales: Learning from Mistakes

31:20 Debunking the Quickster Story

31:37 The Downfall of J. Crew

33:42 Omas Pride and the Missed Opportunity

37:24 Understanding the Mandela Effect

38:49 Biggest Mistakes Business Owners Make

44:10 Strategies for Business Resilience

51:26 Book Review: The Hard Thing About Hard Things

59:28 Conclusion and Wrap-Up

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Follow Jimmy Kim at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/yojimmykim

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykim

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@yojimmykim

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykim

Follow Bryan MacDonald at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/bryanomaspride

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-macdonald-ct

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@anythingbutasalad

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anythingbutasalad

Follow John Roman at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/@JohnMRoman

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roman/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@johnnyromes

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmroman

Follow Amer Grozdanic at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/@AmerGrozdanic

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amer-grozdanic

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@amergrozdanic

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amergrozdanic

Contact us at hello@asompod.com for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!

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