Episodios

  • #229 Is The Sales Funnel Dead? Zero-Click Commerce is the Future of Buying
    Feb 13 2026

    What if your website... doesn't matter anymore?


    This is called “Zero Click Commerce”


    In this episode of the High Voltage Business Builders Podcast, Neil breaks down the shift from keyword search to conversational buying. Customers are completing purchases inside ChatGPT, TikTok Shop, Instagram, and Google’s AI environments without ever touching your website.

    If you are still optimizing only for traffic, funnels, and on-site conversions, you may be improving a system that customers are bypassing entirely.


    🚀 Dominant is a 12-week live cohort for serious operators launching their first Amazon product. Work directly with the Voltage team through product discovery, validation, and launch, with the goal of reaching 25 sales per day.Text INTERESTED to 417-765-0412 or email neil@voltagedm.com to apply.


    In This Episode, We Cover:

    ✅ What Zero Click Commerce actually is and how transactions now close inside ChatGPT and TikTok

    ✅ Why website traffic is no longer the primary KPI

    ✅ How conversational queries replace traditional keyword SEO

    ✅ Why clean, structured product data determines whether AI recommends you

    ✅ The five-step operator playbook for adapting in 2026


    🚀 What should I sell next? Visit: gpt.caimandata.com to generate data-driven product ideas powered by Caiman Data’s AI engine.


    🚀 Want help building a real eCommerce business with systems, margins, and attribution clarity? Visit: voltagedm.com to explore consulting, implementation programs, and operator-level support.


    📍 Chapters

    00:00 What if your website doesn’t matter anymore?

    02:00 Why BNPL tracking still matters and recap from last week

    02:36 What Zero Click Commerce actually looks like in practice04:00 Is the funnel dead?05:00 Conversational discovery vs keyword search

    05:45 Why website traffic is no longer the goal

    06:00 Product data as the new SEO

    07:00 AI agents as gatekeepers

    08:00 The five-step operator playbook

    10:00 Repositioning your website as a brand hub

    10:30 Owning the post-purchase experience

    12:00 Why single-channel strategies are over


    🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/

    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/

    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/

    🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/voltagefba

    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders


    ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders

    ✅ Share this with a brand owner or operator who needs to hear it

    ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show


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    16 m
  • #228 He Created The ‘Tinder for 3PLs’ And It’s Changing E-Commerce
    Feb 11 2026

    Finding the right 3PL is one of the most important decisions an e-commerce brand will make. It is also one of the hardest. With over 10,000 warehouses in the United States alone, most founders rely on referrals, Google searches, and guesswork.


    Matt built Third Person to change that.


    In this episode, Matt shares how he went from leading operations at early-stage startups like Rent the Runway and Birchbox to building a 3PL marketplace powered by AI. What started as a profitable consulting firm evolved into a scalable software platform designed to intelligently match brands with qualified fulfillment partners.


    In This Episode, We Cover


    ✅ The Real Problem With 3PL Selection

    There are thousands of fulfillment providers. Most brands do not know how to filter them. Matt explains why this decision has become more complex, not easier, over the past decade.


    ✅ From Consulting to Scalable Software

    Matt and his partner were running a profitable consulting firm helping brands source 3PLs. They shut it down to build technology that could do the job better and at scale.


    ✅ The “Dating App” Model for Fulfillment

    Third Person uses AI-driven scoring to match brands with top-fit 3PLs based on real operational needs. Brands see ranked matches and choose who to connect with directly.


    ✅ Founder-Product Fit vs Product-Market Fit

    Matt shares the difference between knowing you are the right founder for the problem and proving the market wants your solution at scale.


    ✅ Building Value Without Charging Brands

    The platform is free for brands. Third Person earns referral fees from 3PLs by delivering qualified, high-intent leads.


    📍 Chapters

    03:30 What Third Person Actually Does

    06:00 The Marketplace Model for 3PL Matching

    08:45 From Rent the Runway to Supply Chain Consulting

    10:00 Shutting Down a Profitable Business

    13:00 Founder-Product Fit vs Product-Market Fit

    15:00 How Third Person Makes Money

    17:00 Scaling a Real Marketplace in Logistics


    🔗 If you are scaling an e-commerce brand and need fulfillment support, you can explore Third Person for free.

    👉 Get started at https://thirdperson.co


    Connect with Matt:

    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hertz/


    Follow Neil:


    🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠

    📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠

    📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠

    🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠

    🎵 TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠


    🎧 Like This Episode?

    ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders

    ✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network

    ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show

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    19 m
  • #227 Buy Now, Pay Later Is About to Blow Up (What This Means for eCommerce)
    Feb 6 2026

    Buy Now, Pay Later is boosting conversions, but quietly destroying margins.


    Buy Now, Pay Later looks like a conversion cheat code. Higher AOV. More checkouts. Fewer abandoned carts. But beneath the surface, BNPL is quietly bleeding eCommerce businesses dry.


    In this episode of the High Voltage Business Builders Podcast, Neil breaks down what most sellers are missing. BNPL customers return products more often, cost more to serve, and come with higher transaction fees than credit cards. When payments fail, merchants still eat the fees, the shipping, and the inventory risk.


    You’ll learn why BNPL is not free money, how it impacts margins and cash flow, and what serious operators must track right now to avoid letting a payment method quietly destroy profitability. If BNPL drives a meaningful portion of your conversions, this episode is your wake-up call.


    🚀 Dominant is a 12-week live cohort for serious operators launching their first Amazon product. Work directly with the Voltage team through product discovery, validation, and launch, with the goal of reaching 25 sales per day.


    Text INTERESTED to 417-765-0412 or email neil@voltagedm.com to apply.


    In This Episode, We Cover:

    ✅ Why merchants eat the cost when BNPL payments fail

    ✅ How BNPL changes cash flow timing and inventory risk

    ✅ What upcoming regulation means for approval rates and conversions

    ✅ How operators should track BNPL separately to protect profitability


    🚀 What should I sell next? Visit: gpt.caimandata.com to generate data-driven product ideas powered by Caiman Data’s AI engine.


    🚀 Want help building a real eCommerce business with systems, margins, and attribution clarity? Visit: voltagedm.com to explore consulting, implementation programs, and operator-level support.


    📍 Chapters

    00:00 BNPL holiday spending hits $20B and why that headline is misleading

    02:36 How BNPL increases conversions but erodes margin

    03:18 Missed payments, buyer regret, and rising return rates

    07:02 Why BNPL buyers behave differently than credit card buyers

    10:12 Incoming BNPL regulation in the US, UK, and Australia

    11:52 Why BNPL must be tracked separately in analytics

    13:34 Cash flow volatility and the need for buffers

    14:22 Why BNPL return rates must be monitored independently

    15:06 BNPL as infrastructure, not a competitive advantage

    Follow Neil:

    🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/

    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/

    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/

    🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/voltagefba

    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders


    🎧 Like This Episode?

    ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders

    ✅ Share this with a brand owner or operator who needs to hear it

    ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show

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    18 m
  • #226 From Lawn Mowing to 300,000 Weekly Users. Building GreenPal Without VC Money
    Feb 4 2026

    Building a real business is not about chasing hype. It is about solving real problems, executing consistently, and staying in the game long enough for the flywheel to turn.


    GreenPal founder Bryan Clayton shares how he bootstrapped the Uber for lawn care to 300,000 weekly users without venture capital. A candid conversation on AI as a force multiplier, organic SEO growth, building a marketplace, and scaling a real business the hard way.


    In This Episode, We Cover

    AI as a Force Multiplier, Not a Replacement

    Bryan explains why AI works best as a right-hand tool. It helps teams move faster, think clearer, and close execution gaps, but it does not replace judgment, creativity, or real-world experience.


    Bootstrapping GreenPal From Day One

    GreenPal was built entirely off its own revenue. Bryan breaks down how self-funding forced efficiency, focus, and better product decisions while VC-backed competitors burned capital and disappeared.


    Recurring Revenue and Marketplace Discipline

    The platform focuses on routine lawn maintenance, not one-off jobs. Repeat transactions created stability for customers, vendors, and the business itself.


    Organic SEO and the Long-Term Flywheel

    Most GreenPal users find the platform through organic search. Bryan explains why betting on SEO took years to pay off, but now compounds every day.


    Tracking One Number That Matters

    In the early days, Bryan focused on one metric. Weekly transactions. From 10 to 100 to 300,000. That single number told him whether the business was alive or not.


    📍 Chapters

    01:00 Is AI Helping Us or Replacing Us

    05:00 Bootstrapping Without Venture Capital

    06:15 From Landscaping Business to Marketplace Idea

    08:45 Recurring Revenue and Routine Services

    11:30 Scaling to 300,000 Weekly Users

    14:30 Reinvesting Profits and Early Sacrifice

    18:00 Tracking One Metric That Matters

    19:00 Why Founders Have Not Missed AI

    20:00 The Long-Term Vision for GreenPal


    🔗If you’re a homeowner who wants lawn care handled as easily as pushing a button, or a lawn care professional looking to grow your business with consistent customers, check out GreenPal.


    👉 Get started at GreenPal.com


    Find Bryan on:


    LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryan-clayton-a96b33214/


    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryanmclayton/


    Follow Neil:

    🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠

    📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠

    📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠

    🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠

    🎵 TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠


    🎧 Like This Episode?

    ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders

    ✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network

    ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show

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    21 m
  • #225 TikTok is NOT Amazon’s Replacement… It’s a Demand Engine (The Halo Effect Explained)
    Jan 30 2026

    TikTok was never meant to replace Amazon or Shopify. And treating it like a checkout channel is the fastest way to MISS OUT on massive opportunity.


    In this episode, Neil explains the TikTok halo effect, why off-platform conversions matter, how TikTok drives Amazon and Shopify sales, and how operators should measure real eCommerce performance.


    If you are evaluating TikTok based only on TikTok Shop sales, you are missing the bigger picture. This episode explains what TikTok is actually doing for your business and how to use it correctly before the next wave of adoption hits.


    🚀 Dominant is a 12-week live cohort for serious operators launching their first Amazon product. Work directly with the Voltage team through product discovery, validation, and launch, with the goal of reaching 25 sales per day.

    Text INTERESTED to 417-765-0412 or email neil@voltagedm.com to apply.


    In This Episode, We Cover:

    ✅ Why TikTok is not a replacement for Amazon or Shopify, but a demand creation engine

    ✅ The TikTok halo effect and how off-platform sales actually happen

    ✅ Real data showing TikTok-driven revenue flowing to Amazon and DTC sites

    ✅ Why last-click attribution fails discovery platforms like TikTok

    ✅ How serious operators are reallocating capital instead of chasing dashboards


    🚀 What should I sell next? Visit: gpt.caimandata.com to generate data-driven product ideas powered by Caiman Data’s AI engine.


    🚀 Want help building a real eCommerce business with systems, margins, and attribution clarity? Visit: voltagedm.com to explore consulting, implementation programs, and operator-level support.


    📍 Chapters

    01:12 Why TikTok is misunderstood by most sellers

    02:05 The difference between demand creation and demand capture

    03:01 What the TikTok halo effect actually means

    04:12 New TikTok offsite performance tracking explained

    05:04 Real account data showing off-platform conversions

    06:18 Why TikTok ROAS looks wrong on paper

    07:02 How TikTok feeds Amazon and Shopify sales

    08:21 Why last-click attribution breaks discovery platforms

    09:44 TikTok’s push toward serious brands and operators

    11:06 Why treating TikTok like a side channel is a mistake

    13:48 How operators should think about TikTok moving forward


    🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/

    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/

    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/

    🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/voltagefba

    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders


    ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders

    ✅ Share this with a brand owner or operator who needs to hear it

    ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show


    Follow Neil:🎧 Like This Episode?

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    17 m
  • #224 Retail Isn’t Dead. Amazon Sellers Are Ignoring a Market 3x Bigger
    Jan 28 2026
    Amazon and Shopify are NOT the whole market.If you’re only selling online, you’re competing inside roughly 15% of the total retail opportunity while ignoring a market that’s several times larger. In this episode, we break down why that blind spot is costing brands serious revenue and how sellers can expand beyond ecommerce without guessing or blowing up their margins.Talor Ofer, a retail strategist with over 25 years of experience helping physical product brands get placed in major retail channels. In this conversation, Talor breaks down how retail really works behind the scenes and why brands that understand the retail language have a major advantage going into 2026.In this Episode: ✅ Ecommerce Brands Are Competing in the Smallest Part of the MarketOnline sales feel dominant, but they represent a fraction of total retail. Brands that only sell on Amazon or Shopify are fighting harder for a smaller slice of demand while ignoring a much larger offline opportunity.✅ Retail Isn’t Complicated.Most sellers avoid retail because they don’t understand buyers, pricing, or expectations. Once you know what buyers want to see and how to present your brand, retail becomes simpler than dealing with ecommerce platforms and algorithms.✅ Not All Retail Channels Are EqualOff-price retailers, retailer dot-coms, and subscription boxes each offer different advantages. Some channels are easier entry points, while others deliver massive volume and exposure when used strategically.✅ 2026 Timing Matters More Than Most Sellers RealizeRetailers are buying aggressively due to tariffs, supply chain pressure, and future price uncertainty. Brands prepared now have an advantage while others wait and miss the window.📍Chapters 01:05 Why Online Sales Only Represent a Small Share of Retail02:10 Amazon and Shopify Are Fighting Over the Same Buyers03:05 Why Retail Feels Like a Black Box to Ecommerce Sellers03:55 How Retail Buyers Are Actually Found05:25 What Retail Buyers Want to See First06:10 MSRP, Wholesale Pricing, and the Retail Math Explained08:00 Retail Is Often Easier Than Amazon Algorithms10:05 Why Six Retailers Can Outperform Thousands of Online Customers12:35 How Retail Pricing Negotiations Really Work16:10 Retailer Dot-Coms and Unexpected Ecommerce Scale18:20 Why Retailers Are Buying Aggressively Right Now19:45 Tariffs, Supply Chain Risk, and 2026 Planning21:10 Why Brands Prepared for Retail Win Long-Term🔗 Learn more about Talor Ofer and Retail Empire: www.linkedin.com/in/talor-ofer-876b4a113 Follow Neil: 🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠ 📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠ 🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠ 🎵 TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠🎧 Like This Episode?✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show
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    26 m
  • #223 Amazon Sellers Hit Decade Low in 2025… Is Amazon still worth it in 2026?
    Jan 23 2026

    Amazon seller registrations hit a decade low in 2025, but the marketplace isn’t dying.


    Fewer sellers don’t mean less opportunity. In this episode, Neil explains why Amazon is filtering out casual sellers, how revenue is concentrating, and what disciplined operators need to succeed.


    If Amazon feels harder than it used to, but demand hasn’t disappeared, this episode breaks down the data, the Great Compression happening across the platform, and what serious sellers must fix now to stay competitive as Amazon raises the bar in 2026.


    🚀 Dominant is a 12-week live cohort for serious operators launching their first Amazon product. WORK with THE VOLTAGE TEAM through product discovery, validation, and launch, with the goal of reaching 25 sales per day.

    Text INTERESTED to 417-765-0412 or email neil@voltagedm.com to apply.


    In This Episode, We Cover:

    ✅ How Amazon is filtering out casual sellers while total marketplace sales keep growing

    ✅ opportunity per seller is increasing even as total sellers decline

    ✅ The Great Compression, rising fees, ads, capital pressure, and higher execution standards

    ✅ Why disciplined operators with systems and capital are gaining a compounding edge


    🚀 What should I sell next? Visit: gpt.caimandata.com to generate data-driven product ideas powered by Caiman Data’s AI engine.


    📍 Chapters

    01:03 Amazon seller registrations hit a decade low

    03:41 How revenue is concentrating among stronger operators

    05:22 Why Amazon feels harder even when sales are growing

    06:14 Fees, ads, cash flow pressure, and the Great Compression

    06:58 Why casual and undercapitalized sellers are getting squeezed

    08:36 Who still wins on Amazon in 2026

    09:21 Why preparation now matters more than experimentation


    Follow Neil:

    🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/

    📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/

    📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/

    🐦 X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/voltagefba

    🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders

    🎧 Like This Episode?

    ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders

    ✅ Share this with a brand owner or operator who needs to hear it

    ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show

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    11 m
  • #222 The Dark Side of Entrepreneurship | Mental Health, Burnout, and Fear
    Jan 21 2026

    Most people think growth is about momentum. This episode proves it is about endurance.


    In today’s episode of High Voltage Business Builders, Neil sits down with Sahil Patel, a second-time CEO who has lived through the realities most founders never post about. Payroll on credit cards. Empty bank accounts. Identity tied too closely to the business. And the long seasons spent in the valley.


    Sahil shares what he learned building his first company, how those lessons shaped his leadership at Spiralize, and why experienced operators focus less on outcomes and more on controllables.


    In This Episode, We Cover:

    ✅ Why most founders spend more time in the valley than at the peak

    ✅ The danger of tying your identity to your business outcomes

    ✅ Detaching self-worth from results without losing ambition

    ✅ Getting professional help before burnout forces the issue

    ✅ How experienced CEOs make decisions with no guaranteed outcome

    📍 Chapters

    00:00 Why success is not the point

    02:30 Family, purpose, and perspective beyond business

    05:00 Sahil’s background and what Spiralize actually does

    07:30 The founder journey and living in the valley

    11:00 Payroll stress, cash pressure, and unseen realities

    14:30 Detaching identity from business outcomes

    17:30 Market forces, failed raises, and controllables

    20:30 Mental health, burnout, and getting help early

    24:00 Decision-making when there is no guarantee

    27:00 Staying close to customers as a CEO advantage

    🔗 Learn more about Sahil and his work at spiralyze.com, or follow him on LinkedIn for practical insights on conversion, leadership, and growth.


    Follow Neil:

    🔗 LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/neiltwa/⁠

    📸 Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/neiltwa/⁠

    📘 Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/neiltwa/⁠

    🐦 X/Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/voltagefba⁠

    🎵 TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@fbabusinessbuilders⁠


    🎧 Like This Episode?

    ✅ Subscribe for weekly conversations with real founders

    ✅ Share this with a brand owner or marketer in your network

    ✅ Drop a review to help others discover the show


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    35 m