What does it really take to scale on Amazon in 2026?

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan Coleman sits down with Amazon growth operator and fractional eCommerce leader Dr. Drew Littlejohns to break down the biggest challenges brands face when trying to grow beyond early traction and into serious scale.

Drew has spent more than a decade helping brands navigate Amazon, DTC, and omnichannel growth. From scaling a brand from $500K to a projected $28M run rate, to building and managing Amazon systems from the inside out, he shares practical lessons most sellers learn the hard way.

If you're an Amazon seller, DTC founder, or eCommerce operator looking to build a more profitable and sustainable business, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

In this episode:
✅ Why Amazon growth eventually requires an omnichannel strategy
✅ The biggest mistakes brands make when scaling
✅ How branding impacts long-term business value
✅ The costly consequences of ignoring trademarks and IP protection
✅ Shopify vs other eCommerce platforms
✅ How to vet agencies, freelancers, and in-house hires
✅ Why profit matters more than revenue when evaluating growth
✅ Building systems and SOPs that support scale

🔗 Connect with Drew Littlejohns
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-littlejohns-21673a13

⏱️ Timestamps
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Drew in Nashville
01:13 Who Is Drew Littlejohns?
02:26 Amazon Then vs Amazon Now
04:30 The Biggest Challenges of Scaling on Amazon
06:20 Is Shopify Still the Best Platform for Brands?
08:00 The #1 Mistake Amazon Sellers Make
10:18 Why IP & Trademarks Matter More Than You Think
11:08 Building AOV, LTV & Customer Retention
13:12 Danan's Branding Mistake & Domain Lessons
16:44 How to Vet Agencies, Freelancers & In-House Talent
18:11 Why Percentage-of-Spend Agency Models Are Outdated
20:34 Revenue vs Profit: The Truth About Growth
20:58 What Good Agencies and Freelancers Actually Do
21:55 What Brands Should Expect to Pay for Talent
23:51 How to Connect with Drew
24:47 Future Deep-Dive SOP Episodes
25:34 Outro

#TheeComGrowthShow #AmazonFBA #eCommerceGrowth

KEEP IN TOUCH:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow
👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.

Influencer marketing can build trust, create high-performing content, and drive real brand awareness, but only when brands approach it the right way.

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan Coleman talks with Chelsea Clark, founder and CEO of momfluence, about how eCommerce brands can work with creators more strategically. Chelsea shares why brands often choose the wrong influencers, why one-off campaigns rarely work, and how creator partnerships should be treated as a long-term brand-building strategy.

They also discuss how to find aligned creators, why follower count is not the best indicator of success, how to brief influencers without making the content feel scripted, and what brands should actually track when measuring campaign performance.

🔗 Connect with Chelsea Clark:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-clark-momfluence/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/momfluence.co
Website: https://momfluence.co

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:14 Who is Chelsea Clark?
02:18 How momfluence started
07:29 Biggest mistakes brands make with influencers
10:14 How to find the right creators
13:10 How brands should approach influencer marketing
14:58 Should brands create their own content too?
17:10 Why honest creator content matters
19:44 Do different niches need different influencer strategies?
21:29 How to get the most out of influencer partnerships
22:45 How momfluence helps brands run campaigns
25:46 Where to connect with Chelsea

#TheeComGrowthShow #InfluencerMarketing #Momfluence

KEEP IN TOUCH:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow
👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.

International Amazon influencers are approved, ready, and motivated, but many still can’t access the US products that drive the highest commission opportunities.

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan Coleman talks with Omar Ortiz, Founder of UnboxLane, about the gap holding international creators back from scaling inside the Amazon Influencer Program.

Omar breaks down why Creator Connections is such a major income opportunity, why geography creates a massive barrier for creators outside the US, and how UnboxLane helps solve it by receiving products, filming Amazon-compliant unboxings, and delivering the footage creators need to upload and earn.

If you’re an international Amazon influencer looking to build real commission income without handling US shipping, filming, or production yourself, this episode is for you.

📢 Special Offer:
Listeners of The eCom Growth Show get their first UnboxLane video completely free.
Grab your spot here: https://unboxlane.com/creators

🔗 Connect with Omar Ortiz / UnboxLane:
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Omar-unbox
Website: https://unboxlane.com/creators

🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:57 Why this episode matters for Amazon influencers
02:16 How Omar discovered the international creator problem
03:17 Can brands use UnboxLane too?
04:44 How to become an Amazon influencer
07:38 What it takes to build Amazon influencer income
09:06 Why Creator Connections matters
11:35 How UnboxLane works
13:26 Why the US Amazon market is still the biggest opportunity
15:51 How creators should choose products
19:29 Free first video offer for listeners
22:10 Omar’s pricing philosophy and final thoughts

#TheeComGrowthShow #AmazonInfluencer #UnboxLane

KEEP IN TOUCH:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow
👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.

In this episode of the eCom Growth Show, Danan interviews Chelsea Cohen, founder of SoStocked, discussing the evolution of inventory management in ecommerce. They explore common inventory mistakes, the importance of integrating marketing with inventory management, and how inventory impacts profitability. Chelsea shares actionable strategies for scaling businesses, managing cash flow, and optimizing inventory practices. The conversation emphasizes the need for sellers to be proactive in their inventory management to avoid costly mistakes and maximize profits.

What does it actually take to grow an eCommerce brand in the UK and Europe?

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan Coleman sits down with Drew Cooper, Head of Sales at Expandly, to break down the real difference between simply selling internationally and truly expanding into overseas markets.

If you are an eCommerce founder thinking about entering the UK or Europe, this conversation covers the operational and strategic realities most brands underestimate. Drew shares what it takes to build a sustainable international expansion plan, including how to think about VAT, customs, compliance, localization, fulfilment, inventory placement, customer experience, and marketplace readiness.

They also unpack one of the biggest mistakes brands make: assuming cross-border shipping is the same thing as real international expansion. From testing demand to deciding when to place stock in-region, this episode is packed with practical advice for brands that want to scale the right way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between selling cross-border and expanding internationally

• When shipping from your home country stops being the best model

• Why localization matters more than most brands think

• Common mistakes with VAT, customs, and compliance

• Why the UK is often the smartest first step for US brands

• How fulfilment speed and returns impact conversion in Europe

• What founders should do before committing to UK or EU expansion

Whether you sell on Amazon, Shopify, or both, this episode will help you better understand what international growth really requires before you invest time, money, and inventory into a new market.

🔗 Connect with Drew Cooper

Website: https://expandly.com

Email: drew@expandly.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drew-cooper-27361995

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andycooper9

Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheEcommExperts

👤 About Drew Cooper

Drew Cooper is the Head of Sales at Expandly and works with eCommerce brands navigating the operational and commercial realities of international expansion. He helps brands enter the UK and European markets with the right approach to marketplace strategy, localization, compliance, VAT, logistics, and fulfilment.

⏰ Timestamps

00:00 Intro

00:05 Welcome to the episode

01:03 Who is Drew Cooper?

02:20 Why localization matters in the UK and Europe

05:40 Selling internationally vs expanding internationally

08:31 When cross-border shipping stops making sense

11:17 Is there a revenue benchmark before expanding?

13:35 Why the UK is often the best first step

14:58 The Netherlands, Germany, and EU market entry considerations

16:09 Common mistakes with VAT, customs, and compliance

22:45 How customer experience changes with local fulfilment

26:08 First practical steps before expanding into Europe

29:49 When it makes sense to pull back from Europe

30:20 Expandly’s free discovery call

31:32 How to connect with Drew

#TheeComGrowthShow #InternationalExpansion #EcommerceGrowth

KEEP IN TOUCH:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow

👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow

🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan speaks with Freddy Neuman and Adam Pixler from Capybaras about the opportunities and challenges of entering the Latin American ecommerce market, particularly in Mexico. They discuss the growth of ecommerce in Mexico, the differences between Amazon and Mercado Libre, the steps to enter the market, cultural nuances, and the benefits brands can expect from expanding into this region. The conversation highlights the potential for growth and the support available for brands looking to navigate this new market.

In this episode, Danan Coleman sits down with Dan Kurtz—founder of Miss Pepper AI—to break down what’s actually wrong with most marketing automations.

Dan has worked with brands like Bing and Nielsen to fix broken systems and optimize workflows using better processes—not louder tech. From identity resolution to why SOPs scale better than hacks, this episode is packed with hard truths and smarter solutions for growth-stage eCommerce brands.

🔗 Guest: Dan Kurtz

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtzdan/

Website: https://misspepper.ai/

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro to Dan Kurtz & AI in marketing

03:12 – Why AI should be your assistant, not your hero

06:18 – Lessons from automating too early

07:51 – Building sustainable business systems

09:52 – Using AI to empower employees

11:25 – What identity resolution really means

14:55 – Data tracking examples that drive growth

17:14 – How Miss Pepper AI supports brands

20:34 – Mass marketing to an audience of one

22:06 – Getting past gatekeepers in B2B

24:46 – Is SEO really dead?

27:12 – Danan’s approach to content and YouTube

31:18 – Why content quality beats subscriber count

35:13 – SOPs: your most underrated growth lever

39:40 – Automating CRM + email the right way

41:02 – Onboarding flows that save 15+ hours

43:09 – If you can’t measure it, you can’t scale it

44:18 – One unsexy tactic that always works

47:28 – Can Miss Pepper AI help Amazon-only sellers?

49:04 – Where to connect with Dan

#TheeComGrowthShow #MarketingAutomation #DigitalStrategy

KEEP IN TOUCH:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow

👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow

🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.

Is moving your manufacturing out of China actually smart… or just reactive?

In this episode of The eCom Growth Show, Danan Coleman sits down with global sourcing expert Lyden Smithers, who oversees more than $100M in annual eCommerce sales, to break down why China continues to dominate global manufacturing, even in the face of tariffs and “China Plus One” strategies.

From negotiating better payment terms to navigating Canton Fair like a pro, Lyden reveals what separates transactional buyers from long-term supplier partners, and why most sellers are approaching factories the wrong way.

If you're sourcing products for Amazon, Shopify, or TikTok Shop, this conversation could dramatically improve your margins, leverage, and supply chain stability.

In this episode, we cover:

○ Why extended payment terms are about leverage, not just cash flow

○ The #1 negotiation mistake sellers make with factories

○ Why face-to-face meetings in China unlock better pricing & exclusivity

○ The truth about moving manufacturing to Vietnam, Mexico, and beyond

○ What most sellers misunderstand about tariffs

○ How to use Canton Fair as a strategic advantage

○ Why pre-shipment inspections are non-negotiable

○ How to turn your supplier into a true business partner

Lyden also shares insights from his China Magic Trip, where he takes eCommerce founders directly to Canton Fair to build high-level supplier relationships the right way.

🎁 Exclusive Listener Bonus

Mention The eCom Growth Show when booking a call at ChinaMagicTrip.com and receive $500 off your ticket!

🔗 Connect with Lyden Smithers:

Website: https://www.lydensmithers.com

China Magic Trip: https://www.chinamagictrip.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyden-smithers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydensmithers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talktolyden

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LydenSmithers

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lydensmithers1

⏰ Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction & Lyden’s $100M eCommerce background

03:05 – Why you need a sourcing plan before Canton Fair

05:00 – Extended payment terms: Why they matter even if you have cash

07:40 – The costly mistake of skipping inspections

08:40 – The biggest negotiation mistake sellers make

12:05 – Why face-to-face meetings in China change everything

17:25 – Canton Fair vs Alibaba suppliers

18:30 – Should you move manufacturing out of China?

20:45 – The reality of “China Plus One” factories

23:30 – China’s infrastructure advantage

24:45 – The ultimate leverage strategy with manufacturers

26:40 – China Magic Trip + $500 listener offer

#TheeComGrowthShow #GlobalSourcing #CantonFair

KEEP IN TOUCH:

🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danancoleman

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ecomgrowthshow

👥 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheeComGrowthShow

🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/eComGrowthShow

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eComGrowthShow

Danan Coleman is an expert in the Amazon field. He's been actively selling on Amazon since 2010 and in the SaaS and Service network for Amazon sellers since 2018. After helping companies like ManageByStats and Carbon6 scale and be sold, he started his eCom Triage [https://ecomtriage.com] to help sellers with solutions to complicated and seemingly impossible tasks like removing negative reviews and detecting critical and detrimental changes to your product detail pages. He also consults both brands and agencies in the Amazon space.