ASOM Pod

In this final 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), and Bryan MacDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) sit down together one last time to say goodbye.After almost two years of recording, debating, and laughing the guys talk candidly about the decision to end the pod. They get real about the time, money, and energy it takes to produce a show at this level, how it started to compete with their businesses and personal lives, and why it felt like the right moment to step away.There’s a lot of reflection in this episode. The fun moments. The unexpected lessons. The friendships that came out of doing this week after week. This isn’t a dramatic goodbye. It’s an honest one. A conversation about seasons, priorities, and knowing when to close a chapter, even when it’s been a good one.Thank you for being part of the ASOM Pod. This is the final send, and it meant a lot.And this isn’t the last time you’ll see us. We’re still very much a part of Commerce Roundtable. We’ll see you in Austin & San Diego!Get your tickets at www.commerceroundtable.com_____Big shoutout to our sponsor who has supported us along the way and made this pod 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/__00:00 Teaser Trailer01:30 Introducing the Hosts One Last Time04:00 Reflecting on the Journey and Challenges06:15 The Realities of Podcasting13:16 Lessons Learned and Future Insights15:04 The Financial and Time Costs of Podcasting15:42 The Importance of Niche and Audience18:26 Final Thoughts and Reflections19:56 Difficult Decisions and Different Paths22:02 Reflecting on Personal and Professional Growth23:06 Acknowledging Contributions and Changes25:14 Final Thoughts and Farewells27:53 Gratitude and Future Endeavors31:59 Closing Remarks and Memories___#asompod #businesspodcast #businessinsider #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #ecommercepodcast #ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecom #dtc #dtcpodcast #ecommercetips

In this episode of the ASOM Pod, hosts Jimmy Kim (CEO of eCom Email Marketer, formally Founder of Sendlane), John Roman (CEO of BattlBox) and Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella) go straight at one of the most uncomfortable questions in eCommerce:Should SaaS companies and agencies really be taking a percentage of your revenue?This conversation gets opinionated fast. Here’s what they dig into:Why percentage-based SaaS pricing feels great early and painful laterWhether agencies should earn upside or stick to flat feesWhen “we grow when you grow” turns into misaligned incentivesThe hidden costs of SaaS taking a cut without taking any downsideWhy cancel threats, discounts, and churn games are becoming normalizedHow brands should actually think about value, pricing, and long-term sustainabilityIf you’ve ever looked at your SaaS stack or agency invoices and thought “this doesn’t feel right anymore”, this episode puts words to that feeling._____Big shoutout to our sponsor who makes 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/Subscribe at https://asompod.com__00:00 Teaser Trailer03:15 Debate on Agency Pricing Models16:32 Discussion on SaaS Platforms and Pricing32:17 A True Story from the SaaS World32:43 Debating Gross Margins in SaaS33:12 The Cost of Processing and Technology34:36 The Reality of SaaS Market35:26 Examples from the Reviews and Loyalty World36:24 Challenges in SaaS Implementation37:39 Pricing, Positioning, and Product47:47 The SaaS Subscription Hack54:06 The Financial Reality of SaaS Companies01:00:32 Concluding Thoughts and Final Remarks___Follow us on:X: https://x.com/TheAsomPodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theasompodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theasompodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theasompod/Contact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!#asompod #businesspodcast #businessinsider #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #ecommercepodcast #ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecom #dtc #dtcpodcast #ecommercetips

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), and Bryan MacDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) crack open the real recap of 2025 and get painfully honest about how they’re leveling up for 2026.This one’s not polished. It’s wins, misses, hard lessons, and the kind of goals you only set after getting absolutely humbled by running real businesses in real markets.Here’s what they dig into:Setting aggressive but actually achievable revenue and EBITDA targets (no delusion, just focus)Building stable teams and strong leadership without slowing momentumMoving toward sales-led organizations and using AI as a real service, not just a buzzword for decksLaunching and scaling new businesses with $1M+ ARR potentialPrioritizing health, family, and delegation without blowing up growthThey also get candid about why business success is wildly unpredictable, why delegation stops being optional as you scale, and why protecting family time eventually becomes a strategic decision, not just a personal one._____Big shoutout to our sponsor who makes 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/Subscribe at https://asompod.com__00:00 Teaser Trailer04:08 Reflecting on Last Year's Goals05:05 Bryan's Business and Personal Goals27:06 John's Business and Personal Goals39:46 The Unpredictable Nature of Business Success40:49 John's Steady Leadership41:18 Amer's Business Goals for the Year41:39 Building a Sales-Led Organization45:11 Personal Goals and Reflections49:16 Goals for 202659:39 Jimmy's Reflections and Future Plans01:09:11 Closing Thoughts and Reflections___Follow us on:X: https://x.com/TheAsomPodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theasompodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theasompodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theasompod/Contact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!#asompod #businesspodcast #businessinsider #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #ecommercepodcast #ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecom #dtc #dtcpodcast #ecommercetips

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), and Bryan MacDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) get into what eCommerce actually looks like in 2026, and spoiler: it’s not just “more ads and more AI.”The crew breaks down how financial modeling, privacy shifts, and AI are changing the way brands operate, while personalization goes from “nice to have” to table stakes. They talk about why websites are turning into loyalty hubs, why more DTC brands are opening retail stores and owning manufacturing, and what big moves (like a potential Chewy acquisition) could signal about where the market is headed.What you’ll hear:Why personalization is about to explode (and what powers it)How AI is reshaping both customer behavior and internal teamsThe future of DTC retail and why physical assets matter againWhy websites are becoming loyalty channels, not just storefrontsThe business model shifts brands need to be ready for by 2026If you’re building, operating, or investing in eCommerce, this episode is a fast, honest look at what’s coming next and what actually matters._____Big shoutout to our sponsor who makes 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/Subscribe at https://asompod.com__00:00 Teaser Trailer03:49 Reviewing Last Year's Predictions04:31 TikTok and Social Commerce Insights09:25 Subscription Models and SaaS Trends19:06 Meta's Dominance and Social Commerce28:41 AI's Impact on eCommerce35:05 Discussing Predictions for 202635:29 The Shift in User Experience and AI's Role37:24 Personalization and Data Privacy Trends42:50 The Future of Retail and D2C Brands50:23 The Importance of Brand Assets01:02:04 The Decline of eCommerce and Rise of Loyalty Channels01:07:42 Predictions for the Pet Industry01:10:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts___Follow us on:X: https://x.com/TheAsomPodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theasompodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theasompodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theasompod/Contact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!#asompod #businesspodcast #businessinsider #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #ecommercepodcast #ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecom #dtc #dtcpodcast #ecommercetips

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), and Bryan MacDonald (Director of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) break down everything that happened across Black Friday and Cyber Monday and what it means for the future of eCommerce. From Shopify’s massive sales spike to unexpected wins in new customer acquisition, the crew digs into the consumer behavior shifts, platform performance issues, and emerging trends shaping the next wave of digital retail.What you’ll learn:How Shopify handled BFCM including the sales surge and the technical issues merchants feltWhy buy now, pay later continues to influence conversions (and the hidden risks most brands ignore)How AI is changing product research, shopping behaviors, and traffic qualityWhy AppLovin is quietly becoming a serious challenger to Meta for customer acquisitionHow retail expectations differ by channel and why brands must innovate fasterWhat AI means for SEO, marketplaces, and the future barriers to entry in eCommerceThe team’s predictions for where digital commerce is headed nextIf you’re trying to understand how AI and consumer behavior will reshape the industry, this episode gives you a sharp, actionable breakdown of what’s happening now and what’s coming._____Big shoutout to our sponsor who makes 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/Subscribe at https://asompod.com__00:00 Teaser Trailer00:24 Welcome to the ASOM Pod00:53 Discussing Black Friday and Cyber Monday02:27 Amazon's Strategy and Consumer Behavior03:57 Black Friday Product Launches and Consumer Trends12:57 Retail Experiences and Consumer Preferences18:44 Shopify's Performance and Technical Issues34:20 Buy Now, Pay Later Trends36:14 Merchant Fees and Payment Structures36:40 Buy Now, Pay Later Risks and Benefits40:07 AI's Impact on eCommerce Traffic42:50 SEO and AI: The New Frontier46:46 AppLovin vs. Meta: A Data Comparison53:56 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Insights01:04:52 Predictions for the Future of eCommerce___Follow us on:X: https://x.com/TheAsomPodLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theasompodTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theasompodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/theasompod/Contact us at [email protected] for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!#asompod #businesspodcast #businessinsider #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur #ecommercepodcast #ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecom #dtc #dtcpodcast #ecommercetips