In this episode of the ASOM Pod, hosts Jimmy Kim (CEO of eCom Email Marketer, formally Founder of Sendlane), John Roman (CEO of BattlBox), Amer Grozdanic (CEO of Praella), and Bryan MacDonald (Direct of eCommerce at Oma’s Pride) get real about what it actually takes to scale in eCommerce and SaaS. Spoiler: it’s not cranking out products. The crew digs into how AI is cutting out busywork, the chaos (and occasional magic) of pulling off huge events, and why keeping investors in the loop builds way stronger partnerships. On top of that, you’ll hear candid updates on team shakeups, business pivots, and the not-so-glamorous restructures that come with chasing big growth.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How AI is reshaping agency workflows, productivity, and customer engagement.
• The hidden complexities (and lessons) of event management at scale.
• Key takeaways from navigating investment relationships and restructures.
• How personal business pivots translate into broader market lessons.
• Why communication, transparency, and adaptability matter more than ever when scaling.

Whether you’re launching your first brand, reshaping an agency, or chasing the next big investment play, this episode drops battle tested lessons on growth, grit, and why distribution wins every time.

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Big shoutout to our sponsors who make this podcast possible!

Omnisend — With 125,000+ eCommerce merchants, Omnisend is the all-in-one email & SMS marketing platform built to deliver seamless, personalized experiences via email and sms with ease. Learn more at https://www.omnisend.com/

LiveRecover — Live Agents for eCommerce — Get more out of your revenue strategy with real-time SMS engagement and sales recovery for higher ROI. Learn more at https://www.LiveRecover.com

Kintsugi — AI that monitors, files, and optimizes sales tax for you. Eliminate your tax headaches forever. Mention ASOM for 3 months free at https://www.TryKintsugi.com

Subscribe at https://asompod.com

Come hang out with us IRL – https://commerceroundtable.com

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00:00 Teaser Trailer

04:59 John’s Whatnot Experience

09:14 Bryan’s SuperZoo Insights

16:18 Amer’s App Development Pivot

20:44 Jimmy’s Year in Review

28:02 John’s Battle Games Challenge

34:49 Bryan’s Media Spend Strategy

40:17 Amer’s AI Initiatives

44:13 Autonomous Agents and Their Limitations

47:30 The Misconceptions About AI

50:13 Event Management Insights

01:06:09 Investment Reflections and Lessons

01:14:18 Restructuring for Growth

01:18:11 The Power of Distribution

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Follow Jimmy Kim at: 

X:  https://www.twitter.com/yojimmykim 

Linkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/yojimmykim

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@yojimmykim 

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@yojimmykim

Follow Bryan MacDonald at:

X: https://www.twitter.com/bryanomaspride

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-macdonald-ct

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@anythingbutasalad

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@anythingbutasalad

Follow John Roman at: 

X: https://www.twitter.com/@JohnMRoman

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-roman/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@johnnyromes

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmroman

Follow Amer Grozdanic at:a 

X: https://www.twitter.com/@AmerGrozdanic

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amer-grozdanic

IG: https://www.instagram.com/@amergrozdanic

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amergrozdanic

Contact us at hello@asompod.com for sponsorships, appearance requests, interviews, or general information!

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