Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth
A DTC-focused podcast by Common Thread Collective exploring how to navigate and scale in today’s ecommerce landscape. Hosts Taylor Holiday and Richard Gaffin break down real numbers, growth challenges, and strategic insights from their portfolio, providing guidance for modern brands facing uncertain waters.
Why CTC Bought Into Commerce Roundtable
In this episode, host Nick and new partner Jimmy Kim discuss the origins and evolution of Commerce Roundtable, a community‑driven e‑commerce event that began in 2019 targeting the CBD/THC niche and has grown into a live conference series. They explain how the pandemic shifted the format to digital, how Jimmy acquired the brand after exiting his SaaS company, and the strategic partnership with CTC that brings together founders, investors, and thought leaders to deliver high‑value, sponsor‑light content. Jimmy emphasizes the importance of authentic community building, content ownership, and a long‑term reputation that fuels attendee loyalty. The conversation also highlights the challenges of event logistics and the future vision of disrupting traditional, sponsor‑driven conferences.
5 Questions That Drive 80% of Your Growth
In this episode of the eCommerce Playbook, host Richard Gaffin and CTC VP of e‑commerce strategy Luke Austin break down the five core questions that drive the majority of a direct‑to‑consumer brand’s growth work: forecasting targets, optimal channel spend allocation,...
The Ruthless Forecast: How We Hold 7-Figure Brands Accountable
In this episode, host Richard Gaffin and Joy Sharma discuss the Profit Engineer seven‑figure system, a framework that combines rigorous forecasting, strategic planning, and execution to hold seven‑figure eCommerce brands accountable. They explain how the system uses AI‑enhanced forecasts to...
The Sales Tax “Nexus” Trap Most Brands Miss
In this episode, Richard interviews Ryan Pinkham, VP of Go‑to‑Market at TaxCloud, about the complexities of sales‑tax compliance for growing e‑commerce brands. They explain why sales tax is far from simple—50 states, multiple jurisdictions, and ever‑changing rules can lead to...
Stop Guessing Your Ecommerce Budget
In this episode, Richard and Luke introduce a systematic approach that helps eight‑figure ecommerce brands move from guesswork to data‑driven budgeting, creative planning, and channel testing. They walk listeners through three core models—the Spending Power Model for setting realistic budget...
Agentic Commerce Is Here and It Changes Everything
In this episode Richard and Tony demystify agentic commerce, explaining how AI‑driven shopping experiences are supplanting traditional websites, checkout flows, and even ad placements. They highlight the pivotal role of product data feeds and Shopify’s new agentic checkout, which links...
CFO Summit: How to Get Your Forecast Back on Track
In this episode, the hosts dissect why forecasts inevitably miss the mark and emphasize the speed of response as the true metric of success. They outline a three‑step process: early detection of variance, tightening the signal‑to‑action loop with daily accountability,...