The Ecommerce Influence Podcast

My name is Austin Brawner, and my purpose is to help eCommerce entrepreneurs build wealth and live more fulfilled lives. You can expect weekly interviews with world-class eCommerce operators, deep dives into what's working right now, and a refreshing break from the "crush-it culture" plaguing our industry. This podcast will change your perspective on building a business, and, hopefully, change your life.

http://www.ecommerceInfluence.com

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195: Austin Ecommerce Investor Reveals His Short-Cut To Scaling


Running one company can be a challenge. But what about running 12?

Our guest today is doing just that. Ecommerce investor Shakil Prasla of Pro Click Ventures joins us to talk about how he built his portfolio of ecommerce businesses. He shares what he looks for when acquiring new companies, how to hire CEOs, and what’s possible on the acquisition side of ecommerce.

Enjoy!

Episode Highlights:
  • 4:38 Shakil Prasla's background and how he got started in the ecommerce space.
  • 7:54 From website builder to ecommerce investor.
  • 9:57 How Shakil structured his 12 businesses and how they operate together.
  • 12:47 SEO and content: the importance of these when considering acquisition and future growth.
  • 16:39 Income and age of company: Why these two criteria are essential in evaluating a company to see if it’s worth buying.
  • 18:22 How Shakil is able to productively manage 12 businesses at once and the apps that help him to be more efficient.
  • 22:42 Shakil’s experience with buying companies with a bank loan and how to go about financing a loan.
  • 227:35 How Shakil gives his businesses a competitive advantage: through the lens of an investor.
  • 30:02 What Shakil looks for when hiring managers and CEOs.
  • 33:43 The incentive structure for the CEOs of Shakil’s businesses, and what he does if they quit.
  • 36:54 The other factors Shakil looks for when determining whether a company is a good buy.
  • 41:07 The advice Shakil would have given himself when he was just starting out.
  • 42:26 Shakil’s biggest mistake when buying a business.
  • 43:41 Shakil's structure for reviewing prospective companies, and how many actually make it to the due diligence process.
  • 46:12 Why Shakil doesn’t believe you need to focus on one thing at a time to be successful.
Links and Resources:
  • Pro Click Ventures
  • Shakil@proclickventures.com
  • eCommerceFuel
  • Klipfolio
  • Gantt chart
  • Asana
  • Foxwell Digital
  • Brand Growth Experts
  • Review or subscribe on iTunes
Become a Member:

If you've been a podcast listener for a while and you've yet to join the Brand Growth Experts Membership, now is the time to do it. It's my online coaching community and it's an incredible resource for you. We've got about 120 members, all ecommerce business owners and marketers. And in that community, I work with you one on one to help scale up your business.

That could be scaling up advertising, hiring a team, or diving into marketing strategy. We go really in depth every single month on topics that we also talk about on the podcast. So, if you've enjoyed the podcast, you're going to love the Brand Growth Experts Membership. Head over to brandgrowthexperts.com and you can learn some more information. Can't wait to see you guys on the inside.

Sponsor: Klaviyo

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If you aren’t already a customer, head over to www.ecommerceinfluence.com/klaviyo and you’ll get a free trial + priority on-boarding.

 


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 April 16, 2019  49m