287: How July Founder Richard Li Grew His Luggage Company From $0 to $5 Million in 1 Year

From the age of two, Justin Flom has performed magic tricks. But the trick he never expected to do was turn a performance career into a social entertainment empire. In 2020, the pandemic forced Flom to go all-in on the internet, and within three months, he hit six figures in revenue. In this episode, Flom reveals how he approaches his content creation, which has amassed 30 billion views on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok. Surprisingly, his success started by making himself disappear.   In this interview, you’ll learn: Why Flom’s real job is a data analyst  How to make swipe-feed algorithm content  Why everything is about the opening shot  What does “barrier to exit” mean for social Why Flom is the #2 creator on YouTube behind Mr. Beast Why anonymity is Flom’s strategy  Views vs. reach  TikTok’s secret creator test  The importance of watch time percentage  How he lost his TikTok account twice  And much more short-form content strategy… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

15 Mar 20241h 9min

Including thank you cards in your packaging could hurt your business. Find out why from Hero Packaging’s Anaita Sarkar as she discusses the myths around sustainable and eco-friendly packaging with Nathan Chan. Plus, she’ll share advice from starting two companies from scratch, covering TikTok marketing, packaging, demand generation, and more. Sarkar is the CEO and co-founder of Hero Packaging, author of Sell Anything Online, and ecommerce advisor.  In this episode, you’ll learn: Anaita’s backstory from accountant to eBay seller to founder  About her book, Sell Anything Online Anaita’s sales formula  Why TikTok is the best way to get brand awareness  Her 15-minute TikTok creation strategy  Why your bio link needs multiple pathways That you don’t need to show your face in content Why sustainable packaging is easier than it seems About the thank you card debate The importance of demand and cash flow How to not get overwhelmed with AI tools And much more small business advice…  Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

8 Mar 202440min

Marketing is expensive. But you can get your brand in front of people much cheaper–by giving something away for free. In Neil Patel’s return to the podcast, he’ll share lessons from years of marketing consulting and explain why free products are cheaper for your business in the long run. If you haven’t seen Patel on social media, he’s the co-founder of Crazy Egg and Hello Bar and helps companies like NBC, GM, HP, and Viacom grow their revenue. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to generate leads using referrals  Why Neil believes “growth at all costs” is wrong How to prioritize profitability in your business  That giving away a free product works  How to make marketing financially viable Patel’s AI tools for data and content production  Why AI isn’t a magic solution to business problems What’s difficult about implementing AI And much more marketing and AI advice…  *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023.  Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

2 Mar 202438min

Forgetting to hit record, the power going out, meeting heroes, and gaining friends. 500 episodes in, and Nathan Chan is still hungry for the next open-book conversation. In a special 500th episode of the Foundr Podcast, Chan lays everything on the table for a special AMA (ask me anything) from his favorite founders–YOU!  In this episode, you’ll learn:  The workplace horror story that shaped Nathan The origin of the podcast  What makes the best and worst interview guest  About successful founders who’ve started from nothing  Awkward and funny moments from 500 podcast episodes The most common advice from guests  How Nathan got comfortable in front of the camera Nathan’s daily routine and habits  Ecommerce advice from Nathan And much more behind the scenes of the podcast… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

23 Feb 202443min

If Noah Kagan hadn’t gotten fired at Facebook, his stock would be worth millions. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. In his return to the podcast, Kagan and Nathan Chan commiserate over shared founder struggles, hot takes on entrepreneurship, and how to get out of the way of your own success.  Noah Kagan founded AppSumo, a digital marketplace where you can discover, buy, and sell the products you need to grow your business. He’s also the author of the book Million Dollar Weekend and runs a popular YouTube channel with a million subscribers.  In this interview you’ll learn:  Kagan’s notorious firing from Facebook Overcoming his fears as a CEO How to get a connection with anyone Why Kagan and Chan are jealous of Alex Hormozi How to make a business on a weekend Why sticking with a business is so hard The importance of three customers in 48 hours Examples of ripe industries to start a business And many more entrepreneurship hot takes… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

16 Feb 20241h 5min

How do you go from zero to 100,000 followers in 30 days? By removing ego. After multiple failed business ideas, Domenic Ashburn ran an AI experiment to gain 100K social followers in 30 days. He did it in 22 days. By sharing his learnings, Ashburn developed a cult following and placed himself as an influencer in AI implementation. He is also the founder of Grateful Labs, an AI teaching platform. Nathan Chan talks with Ashburn, AKA Mr. Grateful, about embracing AI and using it to change your life.  In this interview, you’ll learn:  Why Domenic doesn’t think he has a job How he used AI to get 100,000 followers in 30 days His steps to build a million-dollar business using AI Why AI is the co-founder of his business Making $100,000 from FounderGPT Why humans are the problem with AI  The suite of AI tools Domenic uses Why listening to your own AI voice is better for learning Domenic’s takes on AI advancements  Why you should be grateful for this era  And much more AI advice… Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

9 Feb 202444min

Whether you like it or not, your competitors use AI to sell on Amazon. Melisa Fong says don’t get left behind. Vong is a founder, mentor, and investor in multiple 6-figure and 7-figure ecommerce brands. She’s also the instructor of our Infinite Amazon course. Vong returns to the podcast to teach how to incorporate AI into your Amazon strategy.  In this interview, you’ll learn: The state of Amazon selling in 2024  Why you have to build a brand to make money How to do a photoshoot for super cheap with AI Why being a small business is an advantage  AI tools to maximize your Amazon listings Why it will be easier than ever to launch a business Amazon AI prompts to help your business Why Bing is underrated  And many more Amazon tips and tricks… *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

2 Feb 202430min

Ronnie Teja has a strong personality, and he knows it. That’s why he’s not afraid to give his opinions on the state of SEO. Teja returns to the podcast to break down how to use SEO to gain traffic and the AI tools to scale at speeds. He is a self-taught digital marketer, entrepreneur, and founder of Branzio watches, with a portfolio of 14 other brands. In this interview, you’ll learn:  The state of SEO marketing  Why Google is valuing old-school forums  To use Bing and ChatGPT to create SEO content  How to use a test site to learn what Google likes Ranking locally using pillar pages Why TikTok Shop is significantly cheaper than Amazon About Facebook’s Advantage+ shopping campaigns The basic AI tools you should be using And much more…  *This interview was part of the Foundr Ecomm-AI Summit that took place October 23 - 25, 2023. Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Comment and let us know! And don't forget to leave us a 5-star review if you loved this episode. Wait, there's more… If you enjoy the Foundr podcast, check out our free trainings. Get exclusive, actionable advice from some of the world's best entrepreneurs.  Speak with our friendly course experts to get clarity on the next steps for your idea, business or career. You will get tailored insights from results achieved by our proven practitioners as well as thousands of students. Book a call now...  For more Foundr content, follow us on your favorite platform:  Foundr.com Instagram YouTube Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Magazine

30 Jan 202438min