1 00:00:15,316 --> 00:00:22,716 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Maybe just to start, can you just, like, off 2 00:00:22,716 --> 00:00:26,196 Speaker 1: the top of your head, list a bunch of the 3 00:00:26,276 --> 00:00:29,996 Speaker 1: businesses that you've started in your life. Oh? Okay, yes, 4 00:00:32,356 --> 00:00:38,316 Speaker 1: that's a lot. I'm Jacob Goldstein and this is What's 5 00:00:38,356 --> 00:00:40,956 Speaker 1: Your Problem, the show where we talk to entrepreneurs and 6 00:00:40,996 --> 00:00:43,716 Speaker 1: engineers about the future they're going to build once they 7 00:00:43,716 --> 00:00:48,236 Speaker 1: solve a few problems. My guest today is Ramon van Nir. 8 00:00:48,516 --> 00:00:50,556 Speaker 1: He's been starting companies since he got kicked out of 9 00:00:50,596 --> 00:00:52,876 Speaker 1: high school in the Netherlands more than twenty years ago. 10 00:00:53,436 --> 00:00:58,116 Speaker 1: A lot of companies. A construction company, online pianta website, 11 00:00:58,876 --> 00:01:06,436 Speaker 1: soap opera blog, a YouTube channel, festivals in Vegas? What else? 12 00:01:06,436 --> 00:01:09,836 Speaker 1: What else? Oh? I did, an online travel company. And 13 00:01:10,196 --> 00:01:13,396 Speaker 1: at the moment, Ramone runs an e commerce company that 14 00:01:13,436 --> 00:01:16,956 Speaker 1: has sold tens of millions of dollars of ramps for 15 00:01:17,236 --> 00:01:20,796 Speaker 1: docsins like ramps that let weener dogs get up and 16 00:01:20,876 --> 00:01:23,956 Speaker 1: down off the couch. And as the owner of an 17 00:01:23,996 --> 00:01:26,996 Speaker 1: online weener dog ramp business, Ramone has to figure out 18 00:01:27,116 --> 00:01:30,556 Speaker 1: how to solve some really big global problems, you know, 19 00:01:30,636 --> 00:01:34,316 Speaker 1: everything from jammed up supply chains to privacy fights between 20 00:01:34,356 --> 00:01:37,636 Speaker 1: Facebook and Apple, and on top of that, even more interesting. 21 00:01:37,956 --> 00:01:40,916 Speaker 1: Ramone is trying to solve these problems as a relatively 22 00:01:40,956 --> 00:01:44,756 Speaker 1: small business in an era of giants. You know, there's 23 00:01:44,756 --> 00:01:48,276 Speaker 1: this obsession right now with trillion dollar tech companies and 24 00:01:48,476 --> 00:01:51,996 Speaker 1: ten billion dollar Decca Unicorn startups, but we do not 25 00:01:52,196 --> 00:01:55,996 Speaker 1: hear much about this whole big ecosystem of thousands of 26 00:01:56,036 --> 00:01:59,596 Speaker 1: small and midsize online businesses like the ones that Ramone 27 00:01:59,596 --> 00:02:02,996 Speaker 1: has built. All these entrepreneurs who make stuff and sell 28 00:02:03,076 --> 00:02:07,196 Speaker 1: stuff and solve problems and in many cases build multimillion 29 00:02:07,196 --> 00:02:10,756 Speaker 1: dollar businesses. They build on top of the giant tech companies, 30 00:02:10,836 --> 00:02:12,836 Speaker 1: and also once in a while they end up getting 31 00:02:12,876 --> 00:02:16,996 Speaker 1: crushed by the giant tech companies. My conversation with Ramone 32 00:02:17,116 --> 00:02:20,756 Speaker 1: started with his first big success, a blog about soap 33 00:02:20,796 --> 00:02:24,356 Speaker 1: operas that he started back in twenty fifteen. At the time, 34 00:02:24,436 --> 00:02:29,796 Speaker 1: he had never watched a soap opera, no Silicon Valley startup, 35 00:02:29,876 --> 00:02:33,956 Speaker 1: was thinking, hey, let's build a block for soap operas. 36 00:02:34,316 --> 00:02:36,596 Speaker 1: Everybody was laughing at me when I was, you know, 37 00:02:36,996 --> 00:02:39,436 Speaker 1: saying like, yeah, I just started a blog about soaps. 38 00:02:40,916 --> 00:02:42,956 Speaker 1: Don't want to made me make a two personal at 39 00:02:42,996 --> 00:02:45,756 Speaker 1: that time actually was going through a really difficult time 40 00:02:45,796 --> 00:02:49,956 Speaker 1: personally and I'm a single father, was me and my son. 41 00:02:50,716 --> 00:02:53,076 Speaker 1: You know, when I started this, I was literally at 42 00:02:53,116 --> 00:02:57,916 Speaker 1: that time paycheck to paycheck barely. I actually paycheck to 43 00:02:57,996 --> 00:03:00,756 Speaker 1: the less paycheck, like I barely could make the rent 44 00:03:01,436 --> 00:03:04,916 Speaker 1: when I started soap op. And actually I think that 45 00:03:05,276 --> 00:03:09,476 Speaker 1: helped me motivate, like, shit, I need to soon. As 46 00:03:09,476 --> 00:03:12,636 Speaker 1: I saw like okay, we have ten dollars a day 47 00:03:12,716 --> 00:03:16,236 Speaker 1: with soap Opera the blog, I said, Okay, I need 48 00:03:16,276 --> 00:03:18,196 Speaker 1: to make this work. I can. I can get this 49 00:03:18,276 --> 00:03:20,116 Speaker 1: to one hundred dollar day if I just work my 50 00:03:20,156 --> 00:03:23,036 Speaker 1: ass off. So I'm interested in the work you did 51 00:03:23,236 --> 00:03:26,356 Speaker 1: on that soap opera blog, and in particular, I know 52 00:03:26,436 --> 00:03:28,716 Speaker 1: you used all these tools and sort of tricks that 53 00:03:28,796 --> 00:03:32,196 Speaker 1: people can use to build a business almost for free. 54 00:03:32,476 --> 00:03:34,636 Speaker 1: So can you talk me through the story of how 55 00:03:34,676 --> 00:03:37,796 Speaker 1: you did that. You started out basically on Facebook? Is 56 00:03:37,836 --> 00:03:42,156 Speaker 1: that right? At that time Facebook was it was a 57 00:03:42,236 --> 00:03:48,436 Speaker 1: different time for Facebook where more or less two fifteen sixteen, okay, 58 00:03:49,316 --> 00:03:53,476 Speaker 1: where it was very fairly easy and cheap to build 59 00:03:53,676 --> 00:03:57,756 Speaker 1: a huge fan page around any topic, right, And I've 60 00:03:57,836 --> 00:04:00,676 Speaker 1: learned very quickly, like okay, instead of building a fan 61 00:04:00,716 --> 00:04:04,516 Speaker 1: page about daytime TV shows or even soap operas. The 62 00:04:04,636 --> 00:04:08,876 Speaker 1: best engagement you get if the fan pagees is targeted 63 00:04:08,956 --> 00:04:13,836 Speaker 1: and niche as possible. And so I saw that building 64 00:04:13,836 --> 00:04:16,316 Speaker 1: a fan page that just talks about days of our 65 00:04:16,316 --> 00:04:20,636 Speaker 1: lives or just talks about the young arrest O soap 66 00:04:21,116 --> 00:04:24,076 Speaker 1: because people don't care for these others. They just care 67 00:04:24,196 --> 00:04:29,036 Speaker 1: for their soap. So you start these pages on Facebook. 68 00:04:29,436 --> 00:04:32,996 Speaker 1: You figure out that building a page for one show 69 00:04:33,276 --> 00:04:35,596 Speaker 1: is kind of the right way to do it. And 70 00:04:35,636 --> 00:04:39,516 Speaker 1: then what do you do next? Yeah, as you can hear, 71 00:04:39,596 --> 00:04:42,476 Speaker 1: I have an excellent English is now my first language. 72 00:04:42,956 --> 00:04:45,516 Speaker 1: And I also am not really good at writing, and 73 00:04:45,556 --> 00:04:47,836 Speaker 1: I don't watch the show, so I couldn't really write. 74 00:04:48,196 --> 00:04:54,596 Speaker 1: So the idea was, okay, let's start a blog to 75 00:04:54,596 --> 00:04:58,676 Speaker 1: write about what's going to happen tomorrow in the show. 76 00:04:59,116 --> 00:05:03,516 Speaker 1: So I bought the domain first. I never buy a 77 00:05:03,556 --> 00:05:07,836 Speaker 1: premium domain. I just bought whatever was available. What was 78 00:05:07,836 --> 00:05:12,396 Speaker 1: it at that time of soap shows? Dot com? Dot com? Okay, yeah, 79 00:05:12,436 --> 00:05:14,916 Speaker 1: so now I have the website. Now I need the content. Um, 80 00:05:15,356 --> 00:05:19,276 Speaker 1: I cannot write it, So let's find a writer. So 81 00:05:19,756 --> 00:05:24,316 Speaker 1: there's these websites platforms out there. I use upwork dot Com. 82 00:05:24,356 --> 00:05:28,356 Speaker 1: You can basically hire any type of freelancer that you 83 00:05:28,396 --> 00:05:31,836 Speaker 1: can think of. I found a writer that started writing 84 00:05:31,916 --> 00:05:34,916 Speaker 1: one article day, and then we shared that on our 85 00:05:34,916 --> 00:05:38,956 Speaker 1: fan pages. And that's how we started to drive traffic 86 00:05:39,676 --> 00:05:42,916 Speaker 1: slowly from Facebook back to our website. And how are 87 00:05:42,916 --> 00:05:45,836 Speaker 1: you making money? UM? There's a service called Google ad 88 00:05:45,836 --> 00:05:48,956 Speaker 1: Sense that's like everybody's seen the banners when you go 89 00:05:49,036 --> 00:05:53,316 Speaker 1: to a website. Typically those banners are served by Google. 90 00:05:53,436 --> 00:05:55,916 Speaker 1: And then the more traffic you get to your website, 91 00:05:56,036 --> 00:05:58,236 Speaker 1: the more money you make. And it started with one 92 00:05:58,276 --> 00:06:01,196 Speaker 1: dollars a day, and then five dollars a day, and 93 00:06:01,196 --> 00:06:04,436 Speaker 1: then ten dollars, and then slowly, you know, and went up, 94 00:06:04,556 --> 00:06:06,956 Speaker 1: keep going up. What did I get to? UM? Right 95 00:06:06,996 --> 00:06:11,796 Speaker 1: before I sold the business, the company was doing or 96 00:06:11,796 --> 00:06:14,556 Speaker 1: a website was doing around four hundred thousand dollars a 97 00:06:14,636 --> 00:06:16,956 Speaker 1: month in revenue. And then so it's making all this 98 00:06:17,036 --> 00:06:19,876 Speaker 1: money and then you sell it, right, Yeah, for a lot, 99 00:06:20,356 --> 00:06:23,076 Speaker 1: it's public, right, the amount of the sales much? How 100 00:06:23,156 --> 00:06:30,156 Speaker 1: much was? It? Was close to nine million dollars in cash. 101 00:06:30,796 --> 00:06:33,596 Speaker 1: After the break, Ramone takes his millions and starts investing 102 00:06:33,596 --> 00:06:36,516 Speaker 1: in new businesses, including that company that makes ramps for 103 00:06:36,556 --> 00:06:39,836 Speaker 1: wiener dogs. And he comes up against a few gnarly 104 00:06:40,156 --> 00:06:50,916 Speaker 1: global problems. Now let's get back to what's your problem. 105 00:06:50,956 --> 00:06:52,836 Speaker 1: With the millions of dollars he got from selling a 106 00:06:52,876 --> 00:06:56,036 Speaker 1: soap opera blog, Ramone invested in a few different companies. 107 00:06:56,316 --> 00:06:58,956 Speaker 1: Some didn't work so well, but one that did was 108 00:06:59,076 --> 00:07:02,596 Speaker 1: that company that sells ramps for wiener dogs, which apparently 109 00:07:02,956 --> 00:07:04,996 Speaker 1: wiener dogs tend to have spine trouble and so they 110 00:07:04,996 --> 00:07:07,436 Speaker 1: can actually hurt themselves by jumping down from the couch 111 00:07:07,556 --> 00:07:10,516 Speaker 1: or whatever. This is a show about technology and business 112 00:07:10,516 --> 00:07:13,116 Speaker 1: we're doing here, not a show about wiener dog physiology. 113 00:07:13,516 --> 00:07:16,156 Speaker 1: But in any case, the key thing for us is 114 00:07:16,596 --> 00:07:19,836 Speaker 1: in this instance, Ramon did not start the company from scratch. 115 00:07:20,036 --> 00:07:23,596 Speaker 1: He bought an existing online wiener dog ramp company for 116 00:07:23,676 --> 00:07:27,956 Speaker 1: around three hundred thousand dollars. The company was actually called 117 00:07:28,036 --> 00:07:31,476 Speaker 1: Sausage doc Central at the beginning, so they were really 118 00:07:31,596 --> 00:07:36,236 Speaker 1: leaning into the wiener dog market, exactly the weiner dog market. 119 00:07:36,396 --> 00:07:40,796 Speaker 1: And but I love the idea because it really it 120 00:07:40,916 --> 00:07:45,876 Speaker 1: solves an actual problem for a target audience. The wiener 121 00:07:45,956 --> 00:07:49,116 Speaker 1: dog ramp does feel like the sort of e commerce 122 00:07:49,276 --> 00:07:53,436 Speaker 1: version of a blog for one soap opera, right, It's 123 00:07:53,436 --> 00:07:56,596 Speaker 1: like this very narrow thing that some universe of people 124 00:07:56,716 --> 00:08:01,036 Speaker 1: care a lot about. Yes, and nobody was looking at 125 00:08:01,036 --> 00:08:03,236 Speaker 1: it seemed like with soap propose. So I bought this 126 00:08:03,396 --> 00:08:10,196 Speaker 1: business instead of starting it, and the previous owner build 127 00:08:10,236 --> 00:08:15,636 Speaker 1: an amazing product, but they were not Internet marketers. So 128 00:08:15,756 --> 00:08:18,636 Speaker 1: there was a lot of low hanging fruit that I 129 00:08:18,716 --> 00:08:21,396 Speaker 1: saw that I can, Hey, I can just you know, 130 00:08:21,516 --> 00:08:24,796 Speaker 1: improve conversions, or I can do X y Z to 131 00:08:24,996 --> 00:08:29,076 Speaker 1: increase revenue. So it's kind of like a house that's 132 00:08:29,116 --> 00:08:32,116 Speaker 1: like a nice house in a good neighborhood, but the 133 00:08:32,236 --> 00:08:34,996 Speaker 1: paints peeling off and the roof needs a patch, and 134 00:08:35,156 --> 00:08:36,796 Speaker 1: so you can get a deal on it and fix 135 00:08:36,796 --> 00:08:39,756 Speaker 1: it up and make it worth a lot more. Yes, 136 00:08:39,876 --> 00:08:42,116 Speaker 1: And that's funny, you say, because I used that same 137 00:08:42,156 --> 00:08:46,716 Speaker 1: example all the time. Their website was very old, not pretty, 138 00:08:46,916 --> 00:08:50,276 Speaker 1: the copy was not great, It was very difficult to navigate, 139 00:08:50,396 --> 00:08:53,316 Speaker 1: it was very slow. So I thought, okay, we can 140 00:08:53,356 --> 00:08:57,596 Speaker 1: just redesign it for fairly cheap, higher copywriter to make 141 00:08:57,596 --> 00:09:01,556 Speaker 1: the copy and and make better pictures. That will for 142 00:09:01,676 --> 00:09:04,796 Speaker 1: sure increase the conversion rate, Like more people will buy 143 00:09:05,036 --> 00:09:07,836 Speaker 1: once they're on the website. And did you also change 144 00:09:07,876 --> 00:09:10,516 Speaker 1: the sort of commerce kind of backbone of it, the 145 00:09:10,556 --> 00:09:13,716 Speaker 1: way that actual commerce back end of the site work. Yeah, 146 00:09:13,716 --> 00:09:18,716 Speaker 1: so we switched to Shopify. Shopify is you know, to 147 00:09:18,836 --> 00:09:21,196 Speaker 1: you like, I'm sure it's like Google or whatever, but 148 00:09:21,436 --> 00:09:24,156 Speaker 1: most people don't know what Shopify is, and yet it's 149 00:09:24,196 --> 00:09:27,356 Speaker 1: this giant force on the internet. Right, just talk for 150 00:09:27,396 --> 00:09:33,876 Speaker 1: a minute about Shopify. Yeah, Shopify, it's basically anyone can 151 00:09:33,996 --> 00:09:38,476 Speaker 1: set up your own store and start selling products within 152 00:09:38,556 --> 00:09:41,636 Speaker 1: a matter of hours. I think that is their mission, right, 153 00:09:41,716 --> 00:09:45,876 Speaker 1: that my mom, without knowing anything to code, could basically, 154 00:09:46,156 --> 00:09:48,756 Speaker 1: within a couple of hours, set up her own store 155 00:09:49,236 --> 00:09:53,316 Speaker 1: and start selling whatever she wants to sell. And it's giant, right. 156 00:09:53,316 --> 00:09:56,316 Speaker 1: What was there was some metrics I heard recently that 157 00:09:56,596 --> 00:10:00,196 Speaker 1: there were more visits to Shopify sites than to Amazon 158 00:10:00,316 --> 00:10:03,476 Speaker 1: over the last quarter or something like. It's like millions 159 00:10:03,516 --> 00:10:06,316 Speaker 1: of businesses at this point, certainly billions of dollars in 160 00:10:06,356 --> 00:10:10,476 Speaker 1: revenue flowing through the businesses. Yeah, Shopify is actually on 161 00:10:10,516 --> 00:10:15,556 Speaker 1: a mission to really compete with Amazon. And that's why Shopify, 162 00:10:15,716 --> 00:10:18,796 Speaker 1: right sort of shot, they're succeeding that thread, right, the 163 00:10:18,916 --> 00:10:22,116 Speaker 1: thing we were talking about earlier of you know, everybody 164 00:10:22,516 --> 00:10:25,956 Speaker 1: is so focused on the giant tech companies and for 165 00:10:26,036 --> 00:10:29,716 Speaker 1: good reason. Right, clearly, they're extraordinarily large, powerful companies worth 166 00:10:29,756 --> 00:10:31,716 Speaker 1: paying a lot of attention to. But at the same time, 167 00:10:31,756 --> 00:10:34,676 Speaker 1: there is this other parallel thread that I feel like 168 00:10:34,756 --> 00:10:37,556 Speaker 1: you are emblematic of, and in a way, Shopify is 169 00:10:37,636 --> 00:10:41,116 Speaker 1: kind of emblematic of, right of all of the dog 170 00:10:41,196 --> 00:10:47,156 Speaker 1: ramp and soap opera blog and custom pinata businesses growing 171 00:10:47,196 --> 00:10:53,556 Speaker 1: alongside the giants. Yeah, and it's it's really um especially 172 00:10:53,716 --> 00:10:56,116 Speaker 1: last year, and you know, maybe this is a good 173 00:10:56,316 --> 00:10:59,356 Speaker 1: pivot into like the e commerce you know world in 174 00:10:59,436 --> 00:11:01,996 Speaker 1: the last year. How much has changed it actually in 175 00:11:02,476 --> 00:11:07,756 Speaker 1: the last twelve months? Yeah, tell me, Yeah, what has 176 00:11:07,836 --> 00:11:13,476 Speaker 1: changed for most has unfortunately has changed for the worst 177 00:11:13,476 --> 00:11:17,476 Speaker 1: for a lot of e commerce, including ourselves. So on 178 00:11:17,476 --> 00:11:21,476 Speaker 1: one hand, the supply chain has dramastically changed and we're 179 00:11:21,476 --> 00:11:27,876 Speaker 1: still in it. But because with covid, there was a 180 00:11:27,956 --> 00:11:32,756 Speaker 1: huge backlog of containers coming from overseas to a point 181 00:11:32,796 --> 00:11:36,716 Speaker 1: where there were over one hundred container ships stuck at 182 00:11:36,796 --> 00:11:40,196 Speaker 1: sea waiting in front of Los Angeles Ports. So that's 183 00:11:41,636 --> 00:11:43,396 Speaker 1: what does it mean to you? What does it mean 184 00:11:43,436 --> 00:11:47,156 Speaker 1: to your business? So that means for me and a 185 00:11:47,196 --> 00:11:50,236 Speaker 1: lot of companies is that we were not able to 186 00:11:50,236 --> 00:11:54,396 Speaker 1: get inventory or if we ever got inventory huge delays. 187 00:11:54,476 --> 00:11:57,596 Speaker 1: Instead of you know, waiting a month, it took three 188 00:11:57,676 --> 00:12:02,076 Speaker 1: to four months. But most importantly, the prices of getting 189 00:12:02,196 --> 00:12:07,076 Speaker 1: our products to our warehouse went up. Like for US 190 00:12:07,276 --> 00:12:10,596 Speaker 1: ten x so we used to pay two thousand, five 191 00:12:10,716 --> 00:12:15,276 Speaker 1: hundred to get one container from Asia to the United States, 192 00:12:15,316 --> 00:12:18,636 Speaker 1: we got quoted twenty nine thousands. Well that's just for 193 00:12:18,676 --> 00:12:23,516 Speaker 1: shipping to be clear of containers of dog correct. Yeah, 194 00:12:23,516 --> 00:12:26,516 Speaker 1: And there's no I have to pay. It's like I 195 00:12:26,596 --> 00:12:29,076 Speaker 1: have to choose between not being able to sell something 196 00:12:30,156 --> 00:12:33,356 Speaker 1: or you know, just pay these fees. And that's just one. 197 00:12:33,716 --> 00:12:35,796 Speaker 1: So just to be clear, this show is called What's 198 00:12:35,836 --> 00:12:38,516 Speaker 1: Your Problem, and we're definitely into the what's your problem 199 00:12:38,556 --> 00:12:41,156 Speaker 1: portion the interview. So what are you doing about the 200 00:12:41,156 --> 00:12:43,636 Speaker 1: supply chain problem? Can you do anything about that? Yeah? 201 00:12:43,716 --> 00:12:50,476 Speaker 1: So we moved our manufacturing to Mexico. Oh interesting, interesting 202 00:12:50,676 --> 00:12:53,436 Speaker 1: from Asia? It was in China before? Where was it before? 203 00:12:54,196 --> 00:12:59,236 Speaker 1: We used China and Vietnam both countries. So okay, the 204 00:12:59,276 --> 00:13:01,676 Speaker 1: supply chain problem, that's one big problem that you and 205 00:13:01,996 --> 00:13:05,316 Speaker 1: like every other importer and exporter on the planet are 206 00:13:05,356 --> 00:13:08,516 Speaker 1: dealing with, and like a lot of other companies, you're 207 00:13:08,556 --> 00:13:11,196 Speaker 1: moving product to Mexico? What else? What else you got? 208 00:13:11,196 --> 00:13:14,396 Speaker 1: What other problems are you working on? On the marketing side, 209 00:13:15,076 --> 00:13:19,996 Speaker 1: we had Apple making updates to their operating system called 210 00:13:20,036 --> 00:13:25,236 Speaker 1: to iOS fourteen updates, where it makes it more difficult 211 00:13:25,436 --> 00:13:31,876 Speaker 1: for em or for online businesses to target um their 212 00:13:31,916 --> 00:13:36,356 Speaker 1: potential audience. And just to be clear, like I remember 213 00:13:36,356 --> 00:13:40,516 Speaker 1: that as as an iPhone user last year, there was 214 00:13:40,556 --> 00:13:43,156 Speaker 1: some update and I was able to like opt out 215 00:13:43,196 --> 00:13:48,396 Speaker 1: of being tracked so intensively by Facebook and other similar companies. 216 00:13:48,796 --> 00:13:50,796 Speaker 1: It was like, not a huge deal to me, But 217 00:13:50,836 --> 00:13:53,636 Speaker 1: we also know that that that iOS update from Apple, 218 00:13:53,676 --> 00:13:58,116 Speaker 1: it wound up costing Facebook billions of dollars in lost 219 00:13:58,156 --> 00:14:01,076 Speaker 1: ad revenue because they could no longer track users like 220 00:14:01,196 --> 00:14:05,556 Speaker 1: me so so intensively. And then for you, it means 221 00:14:05,636 --> 00:14:10,396 Speaker 1: it's suddenly harder for you to get someone who is whatever, 222 00:14:10,396 --> 00:14:12,876 Speaker 1: who is a weener dog owner and is worried about 223 00:14:12,916 --> 00:14:16,116 Speaker 1: their dog spine, you know, to target exactly the customer 224 00:14:16,196 --> 00:14:19,396 Speaker 1: you want to target with your ants exactly what do 225 00:14:19,396 --> 00:14:22,156 Speaker 1: you do about that problem? Yeah, And that's a tough 226 00:14:22,356 --> 00:14:25,636 Speaker 1: problem and everybody, a lot of e commerce are trying 227 00:14:25,676 --> 00:14:27,636 Speaker 1: to figure that out. We're looking at you know, Okay, 228 00:14:27,636 --> 00:14:29,996 Speaker 1: what where else can we put our marketing dollars? Can 229 00:14:30,036 --> 00:14:33,156 Speaker 1: we do YouTube? Can we do TikTok? Can we you know, 230 00:14:33,356 --> 00:14:38,636 Speaker 1: we're all trying different things. Um, we we are allocating 231 00:14:38,836 --> 00:14:42,076 Speaker 1: some of our ad budget to influencers. That's been working 232 00:14:42,116 --> 00:14:45,596 Speaker 1: well for us. Okay, So like weener dog influencers. Is 233 00:14:45,596 --> 00:14:48,436 Speaker 1: there like the weener dog Queen of Instagram or something 234 00:14:48,436 --> 00:14:52,316 Speaker 1: who you're sponsoring? Now? Yeah, like funny like you have 235 00:14:52,436 --> 00:14:54,876 Speaker 1: you have? You have no idea? How I have no idea? 236 00:14:55,436 --> 00:14:59,476 Speaker 1: Dog have? How many instagrams about dogs are? Meaning like 237 00:14:59,836 --> 00:15:03,796 Speaker 1: dog insram like an actual you know, the influencers you're 238 00:15:03,836 --> 00:15:06,236 Speaker 1: sponsoring our dogs? Are you sponsoring? How many dogs are 239 00:15:06,236 --> 00:15:09,476 Speaker 1: you sponsoring? Well, we have a lots. Well, we're working 240 00:15:09,476 --> 00:15:13,476 Speaker 1: with four hundred influencers and the majority of them are 241 00:15:13,516 --> 00:15:17,076 Speaker 1: actually not a person, but it's actually a dog and 242 00:15:18,436 --> 00:15:21,436 Speaker 1: some of them have over a million followers and it's 243 00:15:21,476 --> 00:15:25,396 Speaker 1: just an account of a specific dog, you know, Rudy 244 00:15:25,476 --> 00:15:29,956 Speaker 1: the dog fluencer. Is there one dog fluencer that's like 245 00:15:30,076 --> 00:15:32,836 Speaker 1: killing it for you that's gonna save your business? No, 246 00:15:33,076 --> 00:15:35,756 Speaker 1: it's it's because it's always it's It does well in 247 00:15:35,796 --> 00:15:39,276 Speaker 1: the beginning, but after a couple of times, right, Like 248 00:15:39,636 --> 00:15:42,836 Speaker 1: their audience have seen our ads and then affects it 249 00:15:42,916 --> 00:15:45,516 Speaker 1: hard down right, So that makes it hard. You always 250 00:15:45,516 --> 00:15:49,676 Speaker 1: have to find new influencers and new you know. Um. 251 00:15:50,076 --> 00:15:53,876 Speaker 1: Actually the big takeaway is pivoting actually away from ramps. 252 00:15:54,036 --> 00:15:57,236 Speaker 1: The big problem with the ramps, it's like, okay, ramp, 253 00:15:57,636 --> 00:16:01,396 Speaker 1: it's a one time product. Sometimes a person buys another 254 00:16:01,396 --> 00:16:04,756 Speaker 1: one for the bed, but there is a ceiling. There's 255 00:16:04,996 --> 00:16:08,636 Speaker 1: technically going to be a day where I sold all 256 00:16:08,716 --> 00:16:12,356 Speaker 1: the all. You know, there's every Wiener dog will have 257 00:16:12,396 --> 00:16:15,676 Speaker 1: a ramp in the house right there. The bull is finished, right, 258 00:16:15,956 --> 00:16:17,996 Speaker 1: there's no more Wiener dogs that sell ramps too. You 259 00:16:18,036 --> 00:16:21,636 Speaker 1: gotta close up shot. Yeah, and so we are still 260 00:16:21,676 --> 00:16:26,116 Speaker 1: going to sell ramps, but it actually we six months 261 00:16:26,116 --> 00:16:30,196 Speaker 1: ago we really started to pivot to dog food. So 262 00:16:30,996 --> 00:16:35,356 Speaker 1: dog food, the lifetime value is a metric that is 263 00:16:35,476 --> 00:16:38,356 Speaker 1: used often in e commerce. Is like, the lifetime value 264 00:16:38,396 --> 00:16:41,556 Speaker 1: of a dog food customer is so much higher, meaning 265 00:16:41,676 --> 00:16:43,996 Speaker 1: it's thousands of dollars. Right, it's a dog owner and 266 00:16:44,116 --> 00:16:47,356 Speaker 1: presumably most people who have dogs, when their dog dies, 267 00:16:47,436 --> 00:16:49,596 Speaker 1: they get another dog. Right, So if I buy dog 268 00:16:49,636 --> 00:16:51,796 Speaker 1: food from you and I live for another forty years 269 00:16:52,196 --> 00:16:54,956 Speaker 1: and worth tens of thousands of dollars in dog food 270 00:16:54,956 --> 00:16:59,236 Speaker 1: sales to you exactly versus so the amount of work 271 00:16:59,276 --> 00:17:01,876 Speaker 1: to acquire you as a customer is more or less 272 00:17:01,876 --> 00:17:04,516 Speaker 1: the same if I'm selling a ramp or I'm selling food. 273 00:17:05,036 --> 00:17:07,316 Speaker 1: It's a little bit more difficult in food because it's 274 00:17:07,596 --> 00:17:11,316 Speaker 1: more like it's a little bit more tricky. But in essence, 275 00:17:11,476 --> 00:17:14,556 Speaker 1: it's like the amount of work I need a product, 276 00:17:14,596 --> 00:17:16,636 Speaker 1: I need a website, I need a warehouse, I need 277 00:17:17,116 --> 00:17:20,116 Speaker 1: you know, customer servers, I need ads. All these things 278 00:17:20,116 --> 00:17:24,396 Speaker 1: are the same if ourselves ramp or food. But if 279 00:17:24,476 --> 00:17:27,396 Speaker 1: I do all this work and try and sell and 280 00:17:27,476 --> 00:17:31,556 Speaker 1: focus more on food, the return on my time and 281 00:17:31,636 --> 00:17:34,516 Speaker 1: return on investment is so much higher because you know 282 00:17:34,636 --> 00:17:36,876 Speaker 1: you're going to keep coming back every two weeks or 283 00:17:36,916 --> 00:17:42,516 Speaker 1: every month. Coming up next, the Lightning Round, including the 284 00:17:42,516 --> 00:17:45,156 Speaker 1: biggest bet Ramona's ever made, and the one piece of 285 00:17:45,196 --> 00:17:47,876 Speaker 1: advice you give to someone who wants to start a business. 286 00:17:55,356 --> 00:17:57,556 Speaker 1: Let's get back to the show. We're gonna close with 287 00:17:57,596 --> 00:17:59,956 Speaker 1: the Lightning Round. Okay, Lightning Round, don't think about it 288 00:18:00,036 --> 00:18:02,756 Speaker 1: too much. I'm gonna try. Are you ready go? What's 289 00:18:02,796 --> 00:18:06,716 Speaker 1: the biggest bet you've ever made biggest bet was an 290 00:18:06,836 --> 00:18:10,556 Speaker 1: big EDM party in Holland. I set all my money 291 00:18:10,596 --> 00:18:14,356 Speaker 1: into one party plus more and it was a total flop. 292 00:18:14,396 --> 00:18:19,996 Speaker 1: I lost everything. What's your favorite app on your phone? Slack? Wow? 293 00:18:20,236 --> 00:18:23,076 Speaker 1: What's a trait you cannot stand in? A coworker? A 294 00:18:23,196 --> 00:18:25,916 Speaker 1: big ego? If you have a ten minute break? What 295 00:18:25,916 --> 00:18:31,476 Speaker 1: do you do to relax? I M call my son? Um. 296 00:18:31,916 --> 00:18:34,116 Speaker 1: I like that. You're giving me a little musical accompaniment 297 00:18:34,156 --> 00:18:36,996 Speaker 1: for the lightning round vibe? Oh yeah, this is my 298 00:18:37,076 --> 00:18:40,756 Speaker 1: dog just locally. What would you do if you couldn't 299 00:18:40,796 --> 00:18:43,796 Speaker 1: do what you do? I would do something in music? Yeah, 300 00:18:43,796 --> 00:18:45,596 Speaker 1: oh in music. What's a piece of advice you'd give 301 00:18:45,636 --> 00:18:48,316 Speaker 1: somebody who wants to start a business to not overthink 302 00:18:48,356 --> 00:18:55,676 Speaker 1: it and just start and improve along the way? That 303 00:18:55,876 --> 00:18:58,756 Speaker 1: was Ramone van Nier. The company he runs is called 304 00:18:58,836 --> 00:19:03,356 Speaker 1: Alpha Paul. Today's show was produced by Edith Russelo. It 305 00:19:03,396 --> 00:19:06,196 Speaker 1: was edited by Kate Parkinson Morgan and Robert Smith, and 306 00:19:06,236 --> 00:19:09,676 Speaker 1: it was engineered by Amanda Kwong. The music by Luis Gara. 307 00:19:09,836 --> 00:19:12,636 Speaker 1: Our development team is Lee, Tom Mulad and Justine Lang. 308 00:19:12,996 --> 00:19:15,676 Speaker 1: A huge team of people makes What's Your Problem Possible? 309 00:19:15,836 --> 00:19:19,396 Speaker 1: That team includes but is not limited to Jacob Weisberg, 310 00:19:19,516 --> 00:19:22,796 Speaker 1: Mia Lobel have their Fame, John Schnars, Kerrey Brodie, Carli mcgleory, 311 00:19:22,876 --> 00:19:26,996 Speaker 1: Christina Sullivan, Jason Gambrell, Brant Hayes, Eric Sandler, Maggie Taylor, 312 00:19:27,036 --> 00:19:30,716 Speaker 1: Morgan Ratner, Nicolemrano, Mary Beth Smith, Royston Deserve, Maya Kanig, 313 00:19:30,796 --> 00:19:34,276 Speaker 1: Daniella Lakhan, Kazia Tan and David Clever. What's Your Problem 314 00:19:34,356 --> 00:19:37,636 Speaker 1: is a co production of Pushkin Industries and iHeartMedia. To 315 00:19:37,676 --> 00:19:41,876 Speaker 1: find more Pushkin podcast listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 316 00:19:41,996 --> 00:19:45,196 Speaker 1: or Where Effort. I'm Jacob Boldstein and I'll be back 317 00:19:45,276 --> 00:19:50,396 Speaker 1: next week with another episode of What's Your Problem.