STUMP BEZOS

The pandemic a few years ago accelerated e-commerce. How much is today’s e-commerce above the trendline if there were no pandemic?

[ Answer at bottom of email ]

Welcome Leo Sgovio to the Billion Dollar Dream 100

Every Thursday I announce a new member of the Billion Dollar Dream 100. These are the people you should follow and get to know in our industry. They are announced in no particular order.

Leo Sgovio is today’s inductee into the Billion Dollar Dream 100.

I’ll never forget at a conference I co-hosted in early 2018 Leo took the stage to explain some fascinating, yet very technical, things he had figured out about how the Amazon ranking algorithm works.

A lesbian attendee (she is publicly proud of it - not a negative) in the audience could not stop staring at him. She told me later she had no idea what Leo was talking about and didn't care if he was reading the dictionary.

All she hoped was he would take his shirt off at some point.

That’s when you know Leo has “IT.” Drop dead gorgeous, charming, a bro’s bro and brilliant all rolled up into one. But more importantly, he’s a proud Italian father and husband to a fashion supermodel.

Leo and his wife Evita

He’s also one of the smartest and most technically savvy sellers you’ll ever meet. If Leo speaks, you should listen. Carefully. Take notes.

Some know me for sharing good tips and hacks, but Leo can always one-up me.

Leo loves to tinker. Figuring out challenging complex computer algorithms through experiments is a blast for him. He wins hack contests at high-end masterminds and finished first in the speaker voting at BDSS 6 in Austin in 2022.

I was in a room with Matt Altman and Leo sharing hacks at Howard Thai’s Castle Mastermind outside Paris in 2022. Being in that room I immediately knew I had zero chance of winning the $10,000 prize.

Leo immigrated to North America from Italy as a DJ, working the clubs in Miami before moving to Canada and transitioning into SEO, web analytics and growth hacking (he has since returned with his family to the warm beaches of Miami).

He spent almost two years as the head of innovation for Viral Launch.

In 2019 he started a software company called Convomat, which he first built to automate customer service related tasks via Chatbots.

He’s now pivoted Convomat to focus more on connecting e-commerce sellers and influencers in pretty innovative ways.

Leo continues to operate a beauty brand and has his finger in a lot of Amazon pies, including consulting several 8 and 9 figure sellers.

?? BEST E-COM CONFERENCES in 2024

Try to get out to a few Amazon and e-commerce conferences next year.

Sometimes the knowledge, but more importantly the networking and bonding with like-minded people, can do wonders for your bank account.

Here are my TOP 5 BIGGER must attend IN-PERSON events in the USA:

ASGTG - Jan 10 - Brooklyn, NY
More heavy hitters at this show than any other.

CAMP ECOM - Jan 14-16, Orlando, FL
Brandon Young & Data Dive’s signature event

MDS INSPIRE - March 3-5, MGM, Las Vegas, NV
Million Dollar Sellers event open to non-members with A+ speakers

SUPER CONFERENCE - May 2-4, Dallas TX
Dan Kennedy, Russell Brunson & the world’s top direct marketers

Date unannounced: AMZ Innovate - last year was Manhattan in Nov.

BDSS 10 and Level-UP in Hawaii

TOP 6 SMALL EVENTS for SERIOUS SELLERS:

CAPCON - Apr 3-4, Austin TX
Ryan Daniel Moran’s event for breakout brands

BILLION DOLLAR SELLER SUMMIT - May 18-23, Kauai, HI
Median seller at last event in Puerto Rico was doing $13.5M, 7 over $100M

BDS LEVEL-UP - May 23-26, Kauai, HI
Brand new event from Kevin for those who want to elevate themselves

DREAM 100 THINK TANK - Sept 12-16, Gatsby Mansion, Austin TX
BDS Dream 100 members advise sellers in the hot seat for 2.5 hours

BDS Dream 100 Think Tank Location

ELITE SELLER SOCIETY - Nov 18-22, Las Vegas, NV
Howard Thai’s signature event with carefully curated high level players

Date unannounced: Tomer’s Top Dog Summit

MORE USA EVENTS to CONSIDER:
Traffic & Conversion - Jan 9-11, Las Vegas, NV
Seller Summit - May 14-16, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Social Media Mtkg World - Feb 18-20, San Diego, CA
Amazon Un-Boxed - Oct 14-16, Austin TX
Offer Mafia - Nov 8-9, Pensacola, FL area

SOME of EUROPE’S BEST:
European Seller Conference - Mar 13-16, Prague
Seller Sessions Live - May 11, London
Ambition - June 8 - Tallin, Estonia

GO to JAPAN!
7 Figure Mastermind - April 8-10, Okinawa, Japan

AWESOME - BUT for MEMBERS ONLY:
TITAN ACCELERATOR - Feb 25-29, Cancun, Mexico
MDS SUMMIT - Sept 22-25, Denver, CO

GREAT NETWORKING, MOSTLY USELESS TALKS:
Prosper Show - March 4-6, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
Amazon Accelerate - last year was in Seattle in Sept
Alibaba Co-Create - last year was Las Vegas in Sept

FOR THE FUN OF IT:
Online Sellers Cruise - Jan 21-28, Miami, FL

AVOID AT ALL COSTS:
Any show with “White Label Expo” in the title

? DON’T MISS E-COM PARTY of the YEAR: ??
Halloween Spooktacular - Oct 14 during Unboxed in Austin, TX

? STANDOUT VISUALS for E-COMMERCE

Photoshoots with models, props and locations can be expensive, and sometimes that’s still the best way to go depending on your needs.

AI tools are evolving rapidly that can often do a pretty darn good job much faster at substantially less cost.

Do My Shoot was built to help e-commerce sellers drive growth with highly engaging imagery at scale. You can convert your product catalog to banners and social media ads quickly, and create photos for new product listings.

? 10% MORE TRAFFIC ? LESS PAID SEARCH

DetailPage uses actual customer search behavior to power the industry’s first computational SEO algorithm.

It analyzes volume, relevancy and seasonality of clicks and conversion, then measures the incrementality of “mega keywords” to ensure maximized traffic to your listings from outside Amazon.

It decreases paid search costs by increasing organic search relevance.

To ensure you are using the best infographics and images, the tool identifies your competitors and pulls search and review data to determine the most important features, attributes and benefits. Then it provides detailed recommendations of exactly how to improve. 

It’s so powerful, the company guarantees a 10% traffic lift to your detail pages.

? AMAZON A-Z ACRONYM GUIDE

Download this nifty cheat sheet from Steven Pope of My Amazon Guy.

Click image to download

?? COMMUNITY SHOUT-OUTS

?  BARBARA’S GO GETTER 2024 SUCCESS KIT

7-figure eCommerce seller Barbara Drazga ("The Bundle Queen!'“) started selling on Amazon in October 2016. She quickly switched to bundling when she saw how competitive Amazon can be.

In 2019, she started adding additional sales channels to sell bundles, including Shopify, Etsy, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Google Shopping and Walmart.

She’s just released a “Go Getter Success Kit for 2024” that includes 19 lessons on how to create and set goals, get clear on your vision, stop procrastinating and get more productive.

If you’re a Go Getter and need a little kick in the pants, snag her Success Kit now to get 2024 off to a rockin’ start.

? TO TRAVEL IS TO LIVE 

My “why” has led me to visit 94 countries and all 7 continents. I create my life and work around my life. Not my life around my business.

I hope to inspire you in your journey of business and life with photos, a short video I filmed, and a brief description of my time there.

THE POOR MAN’S TAHITI

Cook Islands video by Kevin King

Looking to escape the cold this winter? Embark on a journey to the Cook Islands, an enchanting archipelago that whispers tales of its Polynesian heritage and independence since 1965, offering an escape reminiscent of Hawaii and Tahiti's yesteryears.

In the very heart of Polynesia lies a stunning paradise of unspoiled natural beauty; lagoons ringed by stunning coral reefs teaming with life, isolated beaches, rainforests, waterfalls, caves, unique bird life, and much more.

Imagine a place where high-rise hotels and bustling chains are replaced by the genuine warmth of a small island community. With a population of just 18,000, the Cook Islanders, fluent in both English and Maori, welcome visitors into their laid-back lifestyle, rich with culture and tradition.

Here, the essence of a tropical paradise is preserved, offering a serene and less-trodden path for those looking to escape the ordinary.

But the cultural tapestry is just the beginning. Dive into the crystal-clear blue waters for some of the world's best snorkeling, where marine life dances beneath you in a world untouched.

Explore the small islets, or motus, that dot the bay in Aitutaki, a backdrop so pristine it's chosen by TV shows like Survivor and Shipwrecked for its otherworldly beauty.

The Cook Islands are not just a destination; they are an experience, an invitation to explore, immerse, and reconnect. So why wait to go?

?? Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

and

The answer to today’s STUMP BEZOS is
14% above the trendline