Best Elster Podcasts (2026)

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The Period Brand That Won $1.5M in Pitch Contests 48:53

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8m ago48:53

48:53

Dana Roberts spent years watching fifth-grade girls panic through their first periods with ill-fitting products and no preparation. The period care aisle hadn't changed in decades. Same brands. Same sizing that was never designed for a 10-year-old's body. When she pitched the idea to her god-sister, Dr. Monica Williams, she got a polite brush-off. …

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Nicole and Derek Get Engaged at Disney World 2:03:47

4h ago2:03:47

2:03:47

In this episode we discuss: Getting engaged at Disney and planning a Disney wedding Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Listen to the full episode for all of this and more! Have thoughts on this trip? We'd love to hear from you! Resources See photos from Nicole and Derek's trip here MY favorite products to beat the heat Double Your WDW Amazon Shop …

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Episode 257: How to Craft Offers That Convert in 2026 24:14

1h ago24:14

24:14

🎙️ Episode 257: How to Craft Offers That Convert in 2026 Episode Description Want to scale in 2026? It all starts with the right offer. In this never-before-released session from the Smart Ecommerce course, Molly Pittman, John Grimshaw, and Ezra Firestone break down the art and strategy of crafting irresistible offers that speak directly to your au…

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Networking for People Who Avoid Networking 14:07

7h ago14:07

14:07

In this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine discuss a crucial skill for anyone who wants to move their career forward: Networking. They start with a question from someone who knows that networking would help them find a new job but avoids doing it. Kathi and Katherine discuss how to manage your own resistance to networking and take step…

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The €330M Exit Guy Shares His Europe Playbook 47:52

7d ago47:52

47:52

"We were close to closing the company two or three times. Every winter was like, okay, that's it. Goodbye company." Chris Erthel built Meller sunglasses from a Spanish side project into a brand that sells a pair every 28 seconds. Along the way, he helped scale HelloBody from €30M to €107M as fractional CMO before its €330M exit to Henkel. We talked…

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620: Our 2026 Business Plan With Toni Herrbach 46:00

3d ago46:00

46:00

In this episode, Toni and I break down our plan for 2026 and why it looks very different from this past year. Instead of chasing every new opportunity, we’re focusing on the few decisions that actually move the needle and the tradeoffs we’re making. What You’ll Learn Get The Lowdown On Our Goals For 2026 Toni’s Vision For Growth Steve Plan For The …

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Episode 256: The Top 3 Lessons from 2025 (with Pep, John, and Molly) 25:48

7d ago25:48

25:48

Episode 256: The Top 3 Lessons from 2025 (with Pep, John, and Molly) "These aren't random clips. Each one was part of a conversation that deeply resonated with you, our audience, and together they tell a story about how to build smarter, more resilient businesses in a changing landscape." – Anthony, Smart Marketer Podcast Episode Description As 202…

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$1.7M BFCM: Inside Montana Knife Company's Black Friday 53:37

14d ago53:37

53:37

Montana Knife Company pulled in $1.7 million over Black Friday weekend without discounting a single knife. Co-founder Brandon Horoho explains how: five targeted product drops, one for each customer persona. An email cadence so aggressive he was watching unsubscribe rates like a hawk. And a VIP program where the reward shows up unannounced in your m…

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Episode 255: Inside Smart Marketer's Black Friday Strategy - Wins, Curveballs and Campaign Secrets 28:30

14d ago28:30

28:30

Episode 255: Inside Smart Marketer's Black Friday Strategy - Wins, Curveballs and Campaign Secrets Episode Description Black Friday may be over, but the insights are just getting started. In this behind-the-scenes breakdown, Smart Marketer's Director of Advertising, Denis Paskalev, joins Content Coordinator Zach Dampier to reveal what actually move…

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Native A/B Testing Hits Shopify: What You Need to Know 32:24

22d ago32:24

32:24

"It's really about helping merchants become more informed, helping them make more bold decisions." Aaron Glazer, Product Lead at Shopify, reveals two features from Winter '26 Edition that change how merchants test and optimize their stores. Rollouts brings native split testing directly into the admin. SimGym deploys AI agents trained on billions of…

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619: Why Most Apparel Brands Fail and How Robin Hall Built One That Didn’t 44:55

19d ago44:55

44:55

In this episode, I sit down with Robin Hall, who did the “impossible” by building a thriving sustainable kids clothing brand in the most brutal niche in e-commerce. You’ll hear the full 45-minute story behind her appearance on NPR’s “How I Built This” including the strategies, struggles, and surprising pivots that took her from my wife’s college fr…

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Episode 254: From Support to Strategy: How Brittany Casella Helps Brands Unlock Hidden Revenue 27:49

27d ago27:49

27:49

Episode 254: From Support to Strategy: How Brittany Casella Helps Brands Unlock Hidden Revenue Episode Description What do eComm upsells and dog rescue have in common? More than you think. In this special live recording from Smart Marketer Live's VIP Mentor Table Day, Zach Dampier sits down with Brittany Casella, Head of Enterprise at Zipify's OneC…

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SHOPIFY EDITIONS WINTER '26 39:57

28d ago39:57

39:57

Shopify just dropped their "Renaissance Edition" with 150+ product updates. We cut through the noise. Sidekick finally works—I use it daily now for reports, segments, and Flow automations. Native A/B testing arrives with Rollouts and SimGym. The new Product Network let one early adopter earn $1,400 in commission in 30 days. And Shop App? #1 in the …

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Robin Goes Child Free to Disney and Universal 1:33:16

1M ago1:33:16

1:33:16

In this episode we discuss: Disney World and Epic Universe Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party Food and Wine Listen to the full episode for all of this and more! Have thoughts on this trip? We'd love to hear from you! Resources See photos from Robin's trip MY favorite products to beat the heat Double Your WDW Amazon Shop Do you want to be a guest an…

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618: AI Tools Are Getting Scary Good – Here’s The Latest With Toni Herrbach 50:38

29d ago50:38

50:38

In this episode Toni and I walk through the latest AI updates and what stood out from a packed week of announcements. It’s been nuts with new tools dropping almost every day. We break down the most useful changes and what they mean for creators and ecommerce store owners right now. What You’ll Learn What’s new with AI The sentiment about AI amongst…

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Episode 253: How to Win on TikTok Shop - Real Strategy Over Viral Hype with Ashley Wright 26:57

1M ago26:57

26:57

🎙️ Episode 253: How to Win on TikTok Shop - Real Strategy Over Viral Hype with Ashley Wright Episode Description "People think, 'Okay, a video's gone viral or it's doing really well,' but then realistically you've got to say, has that actually turned into ROI?" – Ashley Wright In this behind-the-scenes episode from Smart Marketer Live, Content Coor…

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How Do I Interview For My Next Job? 16:41

1M ago16:41

16:41

Interviewing for a new job can be very intimidating; especially if you haven’t had much practice. In this My Crazy Office podcast, Kathi and Kathrine discuss a crucial skill for anyone seeking employment: How to prepare for job interviews. They start with a question from someone who has been at the same job for three years, knows it’s time to move,…

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Why Your Creative Strategy Is Burning Cash 55:54

1M ago55:54

55:54

"Do you care enough about new customer acquisition? What you care about shows up based off of your actions, not your thoughts or your words." Meta's Andromeda update broke everyone's brain and most brands still haven't recovered. Nehal Kazim, CEO of Ad Pros, argues that the industry overcorrected by wildly overproducing content, burning through bud…

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617: Charles Chakkalo Makes 8 Figures On Amazon Doing Something Everyone Said Was Dead 47:31

1M ago47:31

47:31

In this episode, I sit down with Charles Chakkalo, a student from my Create a Profitable Online Store course. Most people assume retail arbitrage is a worn out Amazon side hustle that barely covers gas, but Charles never accepted that ceiling. He pushed the same model far past what anyone expected and built an eight figure business with multiple wa…

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Julia Creates Magical Memories at Disney World 1:31:20

1M ago1:31:20

1:31:20

In this episode we discuss: Disney with a baby Extras like Very Merry Christmas and Fireworks cruises Boardwalk Villas Listen to the full episode for all of this and more! Have thoughts on this trip? We'd love to hear from you! Resources MY favorite products to beat the heat Double Your WDW Amazon Shop Do you want to be a guest and share your trip?…

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Episode 252: Creative Shifts, Community, and the Realities of Modern E-Commerce with Kurt Elster 20:21

1M ago20:21

20:21

Episode 252: Creative Shifts, Community, and the Realities of Modern E-Commerce with Kurt Elster Episode Description What keeps a Shopify expert motivated after 15+ years in the game? In this episode, Kurt Elster, creator of the Unofficial Shopify Podcast and longtime Smart Marketer collaborator, joins Zach Dampier live at Smart Marketer Live to sh…

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Do You Have To Fire a Friend? 12:50

1M ago12:50

12:50

In this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine explore a sensitive topic: How do you fire someone who is a friend? They start with a question from someone who finds themselves in the awkward position of having to fire a good friend due to that person’s poor performance. Kathi and Katherine discuss the challenges of this kind of situation a…

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She Sold 250K Shampoo Bars Without Amazon or Ads 48:51

1M ago48:51

48:51

Kate Assaraf tried every plastic-free shampoo bar on the market. They sat in her shower like, and I'm quoting here, "tombstones." Failed products. Dead ends. So she decided to make her own. Without Instagram ads. Without Amazon. Without any of the things you're supposed to need to build a business. Today on our program, we follow Kate's journey fro…

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Episode 251: Shark Tank, AI & Social Impact: How Kreyòl Essence Scaled With Purpose 33:05

1M ago33:05

33:05

Episode 251: Shark Tank, AI & Social Impact: How Kreyòl Essence Scaled With Purpose Episode Description: In this powerhouse episode, Smart Marketer's Zach Dampier sits down with Yve-Car Momperousse, CEO & Co-Founder of Kreyòl Essence, the clean beauty brand that turned Haitian Black Castor Oil into a viral, purpose-driven movement. Yve-Car shares w…

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What Discounts Actually Make People Buy (Study) 41:08

2M ago41:08

41:08

There's this thing that happens when you run an e-commerce store. You know you need to discount, but you're terrified. Terrified of training customers to wait for sales. Terrified of looking cheap. So you do nothing, or worse, you slap WELCOME10 on your popup and call it a day. Meanwhile, the big brands? They're discounting constantly. Just invisib…

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616: The Black Friday Playbook We’re Using This Year 50:26

1M ago50:26

50:26

Most ecommerce sellers panic during Black Friday because they copy whatever the big brands are doing, but that usually crushes margins instead of driving real profit. In this episode, Toni and I break down the exact playbook we’re running this year including the moves that matter and the ones we’re intentionally avoiding. If you want a BFCM strateg…

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Episode 250: Scaling Regulated Brands & Building What You Believe In 30:49

2M ago30:49

30:49

Episode 250: Scaling Regulated Brands & Building What You Believe In Episode Description What happens when you mix a viral beverage, a high-compliance industry, and one of the sharpest minds in performance marketing? In this episode, recorded live at Smart Marketer Live 2025, Nick Shackelford joins Zach Dampier for a candid behind-the-scenes look a…

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Episode 249: The Meta Algorithm Shift: How to Adapt Your Creative Strategy - Part 2 14:59

2M ago14:59

14:59

🎙️Episode 249: The Meta Algorithm Shift: How to Adapt Your Creative Strategy – Part 2 (with Ben Bennett) 📝 Episode Description Want more winning ads with less guesswork? In Part 2 of this creative strategy masterclass, Smart Marketer's Director of Creative, Ben Bennett, takes you behind the scenes of a real ad campaign to show how small, intentiona…

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Do You Suffer From Imposter Syndrome? 13:09

2M ago13:09

13:09

In this episode of My Crazy Office, Kathi and Katherine explore a classic workplace topic – Imposter Syndrome. They start with a question from someone who is about to get promoted and fears that everyone will discover she doesn’t know what she’s doing. Kathi and Katherine discuss what imposter syndrome is, and how to manage it so that it doesn’t sl…

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This Founder Automated Influencer Outreach Completely 45:44

2M ago45:44

45:44

So there's this guy, Bora Celik. Software engineer, thirty years in the game. Last year he tells his investors something crazy: SaaS is dead. Not dying. Dead. And here's the thing - he might be right. See, while everyone's playing with ChatGPT, asking it questions, Bora's building these things called AI agents. They don't just answer questions. The…

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Episode 248: The Meta Algorithm Shift: How to Adapt Your Creative Strategy - Part 1 22:49

2M ago22:49

22:49

Episode 248: The Meta Algorithm Shift: How to Adapt Your Creative Strategy - Part 1 (with Ben Bennett) 📝 Episode Description What's really going on with Meta's latest algorithm update? In this must-listen episode, Smart Marketer's Director of Creative, Ben Bennett, breaks down what the Andromeda update means for advertisers and how to adjust your c…

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615: How Montana Knife Company Hit 8 Figures On Shopify Without Amazon 47:07

2M ago47:07

47:07

In this episode, I chat with Brandon Harahoe, VP of Montana Knife Company, an 8-figure brand that’s proudly Made in the USA and built entirely on Shopify. If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s still possible to scale a massive ecommerce business without Amazon, Brandon’s story proves it can be done and done profitably. We dive into how his team buil…