High Voltage Business Builders Podcast

#219 What Changed in Ecommerce in 2025 and Why 2026 Won’t Be Easier | Ecom Recap 2025

It’s January 9th, 2026… Do you know where your 2026 sales are?In this Week in Review, Neil breaks down what really shifted in ecommerce during 2025 and why 2026 will not feel easier just because the calendar flipped. You’ll learn why growth no longer covers sloppy operations, why cash flow timing matters more than revenue, and how disciplined operators gain leverage while others react.If you understand what 2025 actually exposed, 2026 becomes manageable instead of stressful.🚀 What should I sell next? Visit: gpt.caimandata.com to generate data-driven product ideas powered by Caiman Data’s AI engine.In This Episode, We Cover:✅ What actually changed in ecommerce during 2025✅ Why growth stopped covering operational mistakes✅ How rising fees and tighter ads exposed weak systems✅ Why cash flow timing matters more than revenue✅ How elevated returns became a year-round baseline✅ Why 2026 rewards tighter operators, not bigger brands📍 Chapters02:17 Why platform fees and ad costs hit harder03:00 How cash flow timing quietly tightened04:27 Why returns are no longer seasonal05:25 Margin compression and inventory risk06:20 Why 2026 won’t reset the game07:14 Ads as infrastructure, not leverage08:09 Why mistakes cost more now08:46 How disciplined operators gain leverage09:06 The real lesson from 2025Follow Neil: 🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠ 📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠ 🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠ 🎵 TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠🎧 Like This Episode?✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show

#218 How to Build Your Business for Exit, Not Just Income

Did you build a business or a monster? Business owners hit income goals only to realize they traded freedom for control. This episode explains why that happens and how to fix it.In today’s episode of High Voltage Business Builders, Neil sits down with Justin, a seasoned entrepreneur who has built and exited multiple seven, eight, and nine-figure businesses. Justin shares how most owners accidentally build companies that trap them, why income is not the same as wealth, and what has to change if you want real freedom.This conversation goes beyond tactics and gets into the mindset, structure, and long-term thinking required to build a business someone would actually want to buy.In This Episode, We Cover:✅ The difference between building a lifestyle business and a sellable asset✅ Why most owners feel stuck even when the money is good✅ How to stop building a company that depends on you✅ What transferable value really means in a business✅ Why freedom requires structure, not hustle✅ The role of perseverance, focus, and long-term thinking✅ How building with an exit in mind changes daily decisions📍 Chapters02:00 Why most business owners accidentally build jobs04:30 Lifestyle income vs transferable business value07:10 Building a company that does not own you10:00 Why income alone does not create wealth13:30 The mental shift required to build for exit17:00 Family, freedom, and long-term ownership21:00 Why most owners would walk away today25:00 Building with purpose instead of pressure29:00 What it really means to build a business to sellFollow Neil: 🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠ 📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠ 🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠ 🎵 TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠🎧 Like This Episode?✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show

#217 The Holiday Hangover | Why January Breaks So Many Ecommerce Brands

What is the (ecommerce) holiday hangover? If December was your biggest month ever, January can feel like something broke overnight.During December sales spike, ads look strong, and dashboards glow green.But January hits and suddenly refunds accelerate, inventory disappears and cash tightens.In this Week in Review, Neil breaks down why December rewards volume but January reveals discipline. You’ll learn how post-holiday returns, refund timing, inventory lockups, and fixed expenses quietly crush unprepared ecommerce brands, even after a “record” Q4.If you understand what January is actually showing you, it can become your strongest quarter instead of your worst.🚀 What should I sell next? Visit: gpt.caimandata.com to generate data-driven product ideas powered by Caiman Data’s AI engine.In This Episode, We Cover:✅ How post-holiday returns distort revenue and cash flow✅ The inventory lockup problem sellers never model✅ How refund velocity creates cash flow gaps✅ Why payroll, 3PLs, and ad bills expose weak systems✅ How operators plan for January before Christmas📍 Chapters01:49 Why January is revealing, not slow02:59 How post-holiday returns break cash flow timing04:15 Inventory lockup and reverse logistics delays04:52 How operators plan for January before Q4 ends05:48 What to audit first when January hits06:55 Why disciplined brands gain market share in Q1Follow Neil: 🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠ 📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠ 🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠ 🎵 TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠🎧 Like This Episode?✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show 

#216 From $0 to $50K: How He Built a Profitable E-Commerce Business with Voltage

From walking away from e-commerce to building a $50K-per-month profitable brand. This episode shows what happens when you stop quitting and fix the real problem.In today’s episode of High Voltage Business Builders, Neil sits down with Jarod Jones, a Voltage client who originally dismissed e-commerce entirely. After acquiring a struggling Amazon business, Jarod identified a single product issue holding everything back. Fixing that one problem changed the trajectory of the entire brand.This conversation breaks down what real business ownership looks like, why most people quit too early, and how process, patience, and reinvestment turn chaos into a scalable asset.In This Episode, We Cover:✅ Why Jarod originally ignored e-commerce and what changed his mindset✅ The difference between being an operator and being an owner✅ How a failing product almost killed the business and why fixing it mattered✅ What it takes to relaunch a broken Amazon brand✅ How reinvesting profits fuels compounding growth✅ Why Amazon alone is not a complete business✅ Building an omnichannel brand with a 3-5 year exit in mind📍 Chapters02:00 Jarod’s background and why e-commerce was not on his radar03:40 Early skepticism and discovering e-commerce as an asset class05:10 Choosing partnership over going solo06:50 Why Jarod did not want to be an operator08:20 Acquiring an existing Amazon business10:00 Identifying the real product problem11:30 Relaunching the brand and fixing manufacturing issues13:00 Crossing back into profitability16:00 Time commitment shifting from hours per day to hours per month17:30 Moving from Amazon to omnichannel thinking19:30 Treating the business as a long-term asset21:00 Building with a future exit in mind22:30 Why process beats quittingFollow Neil: 🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠ 📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠ 🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠ 🎵 TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠🎧 Like This Episode?✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show

#215 Why Your Margins Are Shrinking (Even When Sales Are Up)

Why is your margin getting smaller even when sales look fine? Your revenue is growing, your ads look fine, and orders keep coming in. So why does it feel harder to make money than it used to? This episode explains why margins shrink as platforms mature and how sellers get caught off guard.In this Week in Review, Neil explains how platform maturity removes early incentives, raises costs, and quietly compresses margins long before dashboards turn red.Using TikTok Shop changes, EU policy updates, and platform maturity patterns, we’ll hear why margins shrink under the surface and how operators plan ahead. If you depend on one platform, this episode shows what to watch before 2026.🚀 What should I sell next? Visit: gpt.caimandata.com to generate data-driven product ideas powered by Caiman Data’s AI engine.In This Episode, We Cover:✅ Why platform growth is never free and who actually pays for it✅ How fees, logistics rules, and compliance costs quietly compound✅ Why revenue and ROAS are misleading signals of business health ✅ How margin erosion hides inside “healthy” growth ✅ What operators track that sellers usually ignore ✅ How to pressure-test your business against future platform changes ✅ Why platform dependency becomes concentrated risk over time ✅ How to think about fees, fulfillment, and regulation before they hit your P&L📍 Chapters 00:00 Why platform growth always comes with hidden costs02:00 How e-commerce platforms behave as they mature04:00 TikTok Shop fee increases and tightening logistics rules06:00 EU parcel duties and why low-AOV models are exposed08:00 Why sellers feel pressure without seeing the cause10:00 The difference between revenue growth and margin quality12:00 Why most sellers miss platform-induced risk 14:00 How operators stress-test fragility before it becomes a problem16:00 Evaluating fee sensitivity, fulfillment flexibility, and regulation exposure 18:00 Why platform dependency increases risk heading into 202620:00 What to do now to protect margins before rules changeFollow Neil: 🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠ 📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠ 🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠ 🎵 TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠🎧 Like This Episode?✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show