5 Tips for Ecommerce Sellers from a Serial Entrepreneur

Posted September 1, 2023 Growth Capital,Podcast,Seller Solutions by Yardline Team

Yardline CEO Ari Horowitz was recently invited to be a guest on GETIDA’s PrimeTalk, a podcast focusing on ecommerce and entrepreneurship. From taring driveways to becoming a CEO, Ari has been an entrepreneur at his core — it’s a “bug” that’s been ingrained in him throughout his entire life.

With host Yoni Mazor, COO and co-founder of GETIDA, Ari dives into his entrepreneurial journey and the lessons learned from raising capital, acquiring and selling businesses, and, the ultimate entrepreneurial dream – an IPO.

Here are a few tips that Ari highlights during the podcast episode:

1. Timing is more important than having the perfect idea

Being early is the same as being wrong – even with the best business plan.

Early in his career, Ari experienced this firsthand. As the co-founder of Freeagent.com, a site dedicated to helping people quit their jobs and pursue freelance dreams, he saw that the modern workplace would evolve into what we now know as the gig economy. A great idea that, in the late 90s, was just too early and before its time due to a number of infrastructure factors. Seeing the recent success of Elance and Fiverr was a reminder that timing is everything.

Today, we are seeing a transformation in how people work with ecommerce. Ari’s advice is that entrepreneurs should strike while the iron is hot. There hasn’t been an easier time to start a business, especially now that sellers can start selling across literally hundreds of platforms or marketplaces.

2. Identify the processes that spur growth in your business and replicate them

The success stories that we hear about most often are those of a founder with a million-dollar idea that went big. However, the winners in ecommerce are often those who understand how to create consistent revenue growth, regardless of the product they are selling.

Increased availability of capital and the growth of the aggregator space have created an opportunity for ecommerce entrepreneurs to consistently launch, scale, and sell high-growth businesses. Mastering how to develop and market products will allow you to scale (and sell) successful companies again and again.

3. Understand how and when to tap into capital

An infusion of capital can be extremely helpful when scaling a business. However, it is important to choose a form of capital that suits your business model and growth phase.

Sellers who are already seeing consistent revenue growth may find success with an increase in capital when their goals include:

Increasing product exposure through advertising
Preparing for a seasonal rush by ordering additional inventory
Developing or launching new product lines

Unfortunately, traditional lenders are still largely in the dark about how to underwrite capital for ecommerce. That is because ecommerce businesses have very different metrics than traditional brick-and-mortar operations. However, the emergence of revenue-based financing, known as growth capital, has given ecommerce sellers an alternative financing option that more closely aligns with their sales cycles. Unlike traditional banks, growth capital providers look at marketplace revenues and projections when determining how much capital to offer. Additionally, repayment is aligned with a seller’s growth as a fixed percentage of revenue.

4. Finding the right partners is critical

It is impossible to be an expert at everything. That is why it is critical for entrepreneurs to find great partners who have the knowledge and expertise to support their ecommerce dreams. Partners with specialized expertise, like GETIDA, and those who can provide guidance and support, like Yardline, allow entrepreneurs to gain massive amounts of insight while simultaneously keeping headcount low.

5. Your network is one of your most valuable assets and it will often serve you in unexpected ways

Over the course of his career, Ari has made some very serendipitous connections and it was through these connections that one of his greatest ventures began. By leveraging your network, you may find business partners, co-founders, or even your next entrepreneurial venture. Always keep an open mind and an ear to the ground.

Ari’s parting advice: