Welcome to the Blues Brothers Podcast, a show in which we share the challenges, insights, and triumphs that come with taking eCommerce brands from 7 figures to 8 figures and beyond, and building the remarkable teams behind them.
…
continue reading
Blue and White Brothers is a podcast about all things Penn State football hosted by Tom and Andy Gathman: two brothers with two takes about one team. Tom Gathman, better known as “The Real Hiking Viking,” spends much of his time on trail and off grid living life to the full. Andy Gathman is the pastor of a small rural church and spends most of his time spreading the good news. We are as different as brothers can be with one exception: a passion for Penn State football. We bring our love of t ...
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy preview their final regular season opponent, a middling Maryland, who Penn State hosts on Senior Day with a potential home playoff bid on the line. Plus, they dip into the mailbag and go "By the Numbers" with Joel Bettner.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy take a deep breath after Penn State's gutsy game against the Gophers that has the Nittany Lions a win away from their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff. Plus they recap all the action in a consequential week of football in Tom's Ten Second Takes.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy take a look at tricky matchup at Minnesota, hoping that the Nittany Lions can handle the Golden Gophers' formidable defense. Plus, they open the mailbag and go By the Numbers with Joel Bettner, where they discuss the finer points of Minneapolis weather, among other more football-related statistics.…
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy discuss Penn State's blowout win of Purdue and another big day for Tyler Warren. Plus, they take a look at the other big games of the weekend with Tom's ten-second takes.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
As Tom & Andy preview Purdue, who shouldn't put up much resistance, they also consider how the final three regular season games might provide a runway for Penn State to prepare for a possible playoff bid. Plus, they open the mailbag and go By the Numbers with Joel.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy are in good spirits after a bounceback win against the Washington Huskies. Nothing could dampen their mood except perhaps the subpar Peacock broadcast, which prompted them to create a Change.org petition to ban Peacock from showing future Whiteouts. Plus, hear their Ten-Second Takes on the weekend's best games.…
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy attempt to wash away last week's misery with wishes of a Whiteout win, as Penn State hosts Washington in a must-win matchup for the Nittany Lions. Plus they dig into the mailbag and go By the Numbers with Joel Bettner.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy commiserate after a tough loss to Ohio State. They break down what went wrong that caused the Nittany Lion drop their eighth straight to the Buckeyes, and discuss the outlook for the team going forward.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy are getting psyched for the biggest game of the season as the no. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes face off against no. 3 Penn State. Can the Nittany Lions finally get a win after seven straight losses? Plus they dig into the mailbag and are joined by Joel Bettner for By the Numbers.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this podcast episode, Nathan discusses the prevalent issue of the 'death spiral' that many e-commerce brands are facing in 2024. He explains how rising customer acquisition costs, coupled with a reliance on returning customers, can mask underlying financial problems. The conversation delves into the importance of cohort analysis, understanding c…
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy react to Penn State's gutsy second-half performance behind backup quarterback Beau Pribula as the Nittany Lions notch a signature win in Wisconsin.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy take stock of Penn State at mid-season and preview a prime-time matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers. Plus they give their ten-second takes on all the big games from the past weekend and go By the Numbers with Joel Bettner.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy literally can't stop talking about Penn State's win vs. USC in the Coliseum. They hit on all the big themes from the game and unpack this potentially narrative-changing, season-defining win. Plus they check in on the other big games from the weekend in "Ten-Second Takes" and finish with a look into the mailbag.…
…
continue reading
Penn State hits the road as the #4 team in the country, taking on the USC Trojans in their first West Coast trip of the new-look Big Ten. Tom & Andy are dreaming of a win as the Nittany Lions head into the toughest stretch of their season. They also open the mailbag and go By the Numbers with Joel Bettner.…
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy were in Beaver Stadium as Penn State hosted UCLA for the first time since 1968. They share their experience of the game and discuss all the game action. Plus Tom's Ten Second Takes from all the college football madness from the past weekend.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan and Josh Tay discuss the importance of accountability in agency relationships, the challenges of forecasting retention and sales, and the necessity of setting realistic goals. They delve into financial transparency, especially during Black Friday, and the impact of offer structures on consumer behaviour. The conversation hig…
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy preview an opponent Penn State hasn't faced in over 50 years, the UCLA Bruins. Plus they open the mailbag and check in with Joel Bettner for By the Numbers.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy break down Penn State's dominant play on both sides of the ball against Illinois for PSU's first Big Ten win of the season.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Penn State opens Big Ten play under the lights in Beaver Stadium in a top-20 matchup. Tom & Andy take a look at a dangerous Illinois team and discuss what the Nittany Lions need to do to remain unbeaten. Plus they open the mailbag and go By the Numbers with Joel Bettner.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy break down Penn State's record-setting offensive performance in the Nittany Lions' final tuneup before Big Ten Play.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy take a look at their upcoming opponent, lowly Kent State. Can they extinguish the Golden Flashes? Plus Ten-Second takes, Mailbag, and By the Numbers with Joel Bettner.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy dissect Penn State's near-catastrophe, when the Nittany Lions escaped with a close victory against a scrappy Bowling Green, and they discuss whether this was simply a fluke or an ominous sign for the rest of the season.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan and Val dive into a P&L teardown of a business that operates multiple D2C brands. They discuss the importance of accurately structuring the P&L to understand the business's activities and potential to generate profit. They highlight the need to separate and track components of net revenue, such as gross revenue, discounts, r…
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy take a look at Penn State's opponent for their home opener, the Bowling Green Falcons. Can the Nittany Lions keep the offensive fireworks going as they face the first of two straight MAC teams?由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy recap Penn State's exciting 2024 season opener, a 34-12 victory against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Plus, hear Tom's Ten-Second-Takes on all the big opening week games.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Penn State football is back! Tom & Andy dive into the first game of the 2024 season, a tough road trip to Morgantown against the Mountaineers of West Virginia. Plus, they open the first mailbag of the season and go By the Numbers with Joel Bettner.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In their final preseason installment, Tom & Andy take a look at Penn State's special teams and give their final thoughts on the upcoming season.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
Incoming Defensive Coordinator Tom Allen has big shoes to fill. With the 2024 season just days away, Tom & Andy discuss their hopes for another dominating defense and break down each unit's key contributors.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan shares nine lessons learned from working with brands and running a digital marketing agency. The lessons include the importance of cost of delivery, marketing, and operational efficiency, the value of omni-channel distribution for brands approaching $10 million, the ability to fix P&L exports in accounting software, the effe…
…
continue reading
Big changes are coming to Penn State's offense, as incoming OC Andy Kotelnicki attempts to unlock the talents of Drew Allar, Nick Singleton, and Kaytron Allen. Tom & Andy take a close look at each unit on the offense including projected starters, areas of strength, and needs for improvement.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan and Valentin dive into a real P&L and discuss the importance of understanding accounting principles and how to read a P&L. They highlight the limitations of a basic P&L structure and the need for a more comprehensive breakdown of revenue and costs. They discuss the impact of discounts and refunds on the business's profitabil…
…
continue reading
As Penn State prepares to kick off a new campaign, Tom & Andy discuss the state of the program under James Franklin and take a look at the upcoming season.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan and Josh discuss the incremental revenue available through email and SMS marketing. They emphasise that while email and SMS are important communication channels, the true drivers of retention and revenue are merchandising and operations. They explore the concept of purchase intent and how it affects the effectiveness of emai…
…
continue reading
Tom & Andy kick off their 5th season of Blue and White Brothers with their take on the seismic changes coming to the college football landscape this season.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan discusses 10 brutal truths of e-commerce for DTC brand owners. The first truth is that reducing ad spend is not the solution to higher operating expenses. Understanding how the P&L works and the flow of revenue is crucial. The second truth is that most accounts are either overspending or underspending, and finding the right …
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan and Caden discuss various topics related to Google Ads and agency land. Caden shares his background in marketing and how he got into the digital marketing industry. They dive into the concept of Google's Performance Max and its purpose in reducing the barrier of entry for small businesses. They also discuss the challenges an…
…
continue reading
Carla Penn-Kahn shares her experience in the e-commerce space, from working in investments at Credit Suisse to starting her own e-commerce businesses. She discusses the challenges of launching perishables by delivery when delivery was primarily for letters, and the operational complexities involved. The conversation then shifts to the importance of…
…
continue reading
In this podcast episode, Nathan and Val discuss the topic of 3PLs (third-party logistics providers). They cover the factors to consider when deciding whether to use a 3PL, such as cost, volume, and customer service. They also explore the differences between in-house fulfillment and outsourcing to a 3PL, and the considerations for brands with low vo…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan answers questions from listeners about budget allocation for retention, the growth of BlueSense Digital, the effectiveness of Advantage Plus, TikTok advertising, server-side tracking, and the importance of creative testing. He emphasises the importance of merchandising in driving lifetime value and suggests that technical co…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan discusses how to align Google and Meta campaign builds with business and financial goals. He emphasises the importance of understanding the incentive structure of big tech advertising platforms, which is to maximise advertiser revenue. He also highlights the complexity of customer journeys and the need to allocate budgets st…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan shares his advice for ecommerce brands aiming to reach $100k a month. He covers the fundamentals of scaling, customer acquisition, resource allocation, and the benefits of being under $100k per month. Nathan emphasises the importance of understanding the business equation, effective resource allocation, and the role of creat…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan interviews Michael Nadalin, the founder of Market Lead, a niche Google Ads agency in Australia. They discuss Michael's background and the growth of his agency, as well as the importance of expanding scope beyond Google Ads. They also delve into the effectiveness of Google's Performance Max campaign type and the challenges of…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan interviews Brendan Gillen, an e-commerce expert and founder of Fight Gear Direct and the e-Commerce Academy. They discuss the performance of e-commerce in 2024 and the importance of innovation and adaptation in the industry. The conversation highlights the need for e-commerce operators to understand their numbers, focus on p…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan, Sebastian and Kasim discuss what it takes to build a world-class successful agency. They touch on topics such as the importance of talent acquisition, the transition from artisan thinking to systems thinking, and the challenges of scaling the sales portion of the agency. Kasim shares his experience of scaling Solutions 8 an…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan and Val discuss the importance of first-order profitability in e-commerce businesses. The podcast is structured into three sections, firstly setting the scene, secondly how to become first order profitable, and finally how to operate a repeat purchase model. Takeaways First order profitability is crucial in e-commerce busine…
…
continue reading
At the midpoint of the offseason, Tom & Andy weigh in on the major changes coming to college football this season. Plus, they take stock of the Nittany Lions after spring workouts wrap up and the transfer portal closes.由Penn State Football by Tom & Andy Gathman
…
continue reading
In this episode, Sebastian and Nathan discuss the ego-driven mistake that most service providers make. They emphasise the importance of putting clients above oneself and maintaining an orientation towards the client. They highlight the dangers of pride and self-orientation, such as neglecting client needs, losing trust, and ultimately losing client…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan interviews Matthew Banks, the founder of Merchants of the Sun, a sustainable jewellery brand. They discuss the story behind the brand, the importance of creative direction and branding in the jewellery industry, and how Merchants of the Sun stands out in a crowded market. They also talk about the brand's sustainability initi…
…
continue reading
Summary In this episode, Nathan and Sebastian discuss the two levels of value within an agency and the three major problems that arise during scaling. They emphasise the importance of understanding the agency business model for any business owner who may work with or be approached by an agency. They explain how value is generated through the soluti…
…
continue reading
In this episode, Nathan and John Ivanco (founder of Formtoro) discuss the concept of D2C as a channel, the cost of retail and ad costs, the commoditisation of products, the role of media figures in pushing brands, the value of zero-party data, and the overhyped KPIs in marketing. They also delve into the challenges of attribution and the limitation…
…
continue reading