There are seismic changes rocking the eCommerce world at the moment.

In this episode of eCom@One, host Richard Hill sits down with John Brolly, founder of Athos Commerce, for a deep dive into the seismic changes rocking the eCommerce world; driven by AI, product data, and new approaches to product discovery. With unique insights spanning thousands of retailers, agencies and brands, John reveals why great product data is now at the heart of visibility, conversion and profit online.

From conversational AI search to data hygiene, merchandising strategies and operational efficiency, this conversation explores the tactics that are separating today’s most successful eCommerce businesses from the rest. If you're curious about leveraging product feeds, tapping into LLMs, or staying ahead of the latest digital transformations, this episode delivers real-world examples, actionable advice and a look into the future of eCommerce innovation.

Hit subscribe now, it’s time to discover where the real opportunities are in the new age of eCommerce.

00:00 AI and product data in eCommerce

06:02 Improving the shopping experience

08:55 Using AI to read data

11:45 Improving product feeds with AI

14:40 Early challenges in AI partnerships

18:42 Improving site search and merchandising

19:59 Changing consumer habits

25:18 Managing end-of-year finances

26:54 Faster proof-of-concept development

29:42 The importance of communication skills

34:20 Exciting trends in eCommerce

35:57 AI's impact on agencies

40:04 Favourite dystopian author inspires name

41:59 Closing and subscribe reminder

Email Marketing isn’t dead.

We’re joined today by Sophie Penny, Senior Account Manager at EcomOne. In this insightful conversation, Richard Hill and Sophie Penny dive deep into the world of email marketing in e-commerce, tackling the big question, is email marketing dead? Spoiler: it’s not, but the game has definitely changed.

Together, they discuss the powerful role AI now plays in email. Think predictive analytics, smart segmentation and hyper-personalisation that goes way beyond just using your customer’s first name. Sophie Penny shares the biggest shifts she’s seeing in how brands use email, including practical strategies for getting the most out of signup forms and automations, especially for driving revenue.

This episode covers best practices for segmentation, how to keep your brand’s email campaigns engaging and relevant (without becoming “noise” in your customers’ inboxes), and why not every strategy works for every brand. You’ll also hear actionable tips specific to industries like automotive, outdoor, and B2B, not to mention creative ideas for building loyalty and community through email.

If you’re ready to move beyond “blanket” marketing and tap into what really works today, this episode is packed with expert advice you can put into action right away. Let’s get into it!

00:00 "Email Marketing Isn't Dead"

06:06 Poorly Timed Marketing Emails

07:56 Sensitive Holiday Communication Strategy

12:42 Email Segmentation Boosts Engagement

16:07 Building Community Around Niche Brands

19:57 "Maximizing Post-Black Friday Gains"

22:11 "Evolving Email Strategies & Design"

27:19 "Thoughts on High-Value Purchases"

27:50 Maximizing Sales Through Maintenance

31:24 E-commerce Insights for Niche Catalogs

34:29 End-of-Year Buying Insights

“I do think as a founder of a small business, if you can get face to face with someone, you sell them on the story, not the product”.

On this episode of eCom@One, host Richard Hill sits down with Fran Gresswell, the dynamic founder of Riviera Iced Tea, a premium drinks brand she launched while still at university. Fran’s journey is nothing short of inspiring: from bootstrapping her business and overcoming a devastating £12,000 loss to a manufacturer, to landing her product in over 400 independent retailers and major venues, including the Co-op and prestigious spots like Chatsworth and Holcombe Hall.

This conversation dives into the realities of building a brand in the tough world of physical products without the cushion of huge funding or sugarcoating the setbacks. Fran shares her honest experiences hustling for retail listings; literally walking into cafes and stores, selling her story face-to-face, and building relationships with buyers through persistence and timing.

We hear how Riviera repositioned itself as a premium non-alcoholic alternative, leveraging TikTok and personal branding to drive growth and turn viral moments into wholesale success. Fran opens up about navigating tight margins in food and drink, the impact of rising costs, and the strategies she’s using to stay resilient as a founder including email campaigns, guerrilla marketing, and adapting to changing consumer habits.

If you’re a founder or marketer navigating retail, D2C, or just curious about what it takes to build a brand from scratch in today’s market, this episode brings grounded advice, practical insights, and a hefty dose of real talk from someone who’s living it every day.

00:00 Local Spotlight: Riviera Iced Tea

04:15 Lessons from a Costly Mistake

06:29 "Overcoming Doubt in Business"

11:45 "Flavors Drive Iced Tea Success"

13:24 "Securing Retail Listings Journey"

16:16 "Festival Sales Strategy Insights"

21:06 "Expanding into Ideal Venues"

23:57 TikTok Boosted My Business

28:26 "Rewarding Loyal Customers First"

29:46 "Subscription Plan Discussion Insights"

33:10 Small Business Challenges Persist

35:57 "What Keeps You Up?"

39:09 Learn from Business Failures

In this episode recorded live at our Live Uncut event, Richard Hill sits down with Lucie , founder of Hair Syrup, to unpack one of the most inspiring eCommerce success stories of the past five years. What started as a personal solution to hair problems in a Warwick University student kitchen has exploded into an 8-figure business that became the most viral hair care brand on TikTok globally.

Lucie walks us through the moment she realized Hair Syrup was going to be massive, her unconventional journey from mixing oils with measuring spoons to managing 7 hours of meetings daily while staying creative, and why her Dragons' Den rejection turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her business. She explains how she reduced TikTok Shop revenue from 49% to less than 23% through strategic diversification, her unconventional hiring philosophy of not hiring people who've had traditional jobs, and why content creation should come naturally if you're in the right role.

This episode covers the untold story of what really happened on Dragons' Den including footage that never aired, why Steven Bartlett's concerns about platform dependency were valid but the exposure was priceless, going viral for three consecutive weeks after the show and turning down 60 investors who reached out, shifting TikTok from revenue driver to brand awareness touchpoint, the power of Meta ads, email marketing, SMS campaigns, gift with purchase strategies, and in-person events for building a DTC brand, managing the balance between operational meetings and creative work as a founder, and why the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program transformed her business more than any book could.

Lucie's story proves that sometimes the best businesses aren't meticulously planned, they find you. With no formal business training, no business books read, and starting with just a few hundred pounds, she's built a beauty empire that rivals established brands globally. Whether you're in eCommerce, building a DTC brand, managing social media strategy, or fascinated by modern entrepreneurship, this episode is packed with tactical insights on platform diversification, content creation at scale, viral marketing, and building a brand that resonates deeply with customers.

Listen to the full episode now, and don't forget to hit subscribe.

Listen to the full episode now, and don't forget to hit subscribe.

Topics Covered:

00:00 Introduction and angel number synchronicity

01:14 How Hair Syrup started in a student kitchen

04:33 The viral TikTok that changed everything

08:11 Scaling from 10 bottles to 8 figures

14:36 Dragons' Den: the untold story

21:55 Going viral for 3 weeks and rejecting 60 investors

25:50 Unconventional hiring philosophy

32:15 Content creation strategy: 25 posts per day

39:57 Diversifying revenue beyond TikTok

41:37 Meta ads, email marketing and event strategy

43:50 Why Lucy's never read a business book

44:23 Goldman Sachs 10KSB program recommendation

In this solo episode, Richard Hill breaks down the one thing that keeps coming up with every successful eCommerce founder he's interviewed over the past five years. It's not marketing strategy, tech stack, or hiring process. It's something simpler, but most founders get it completely wrong.

Richard explains why sharing your vision consistently, clearly, and with your entire team is the difference between teams that move fast and make smart decisions, versus teams that feel disconnected from the bigger picture. He walks through the exact framework he uses in his own business: creating a one-year picture and three-year vision, working with senior leadership to define measurable outcomes, and most importantly, re-sharing that vision every three months in all-hands meetings.

This isn't about fancy mission statements on the wall. It's about giving your team ownership, showing them how their work contributes to the bigger picture, and creating a culture where people want to stay because they can see a future for themselves in your vision. Richard shares why some team members will buy in immediately, why others will self-select out, and why that's actually a good thing.

He also covers the practical side: what success looks like in your business one year from now versus three years from now, how to bridge the gap between current revenue and ambitious targets with measurable KPIs, why re-sharing your vision quarterly is non-negotiable, and the importance of off-site all-hands meetings to make vision updates feel like events, not tasks.

If you're a founder or leader who's ever wondered why your team doesn't seem as fired up about the business as you are, this episode will change how you think about communication, alignment, and growth. The shift from keeping your vision in your head to making it visible to everyone is the unlock.

Listen to the full episode now, and don't forget to hit subscribe.

Topics Covered

00:00 Introduction: The one thing successful founders do differently

01:22 Why your team can't help you build what they can't see

02:36 Giving team members ownership through shared vision

03:21 The one-year picture vs three-year vision framework

05:52 Personal vision for founders: creating time and space

07:10 Sharing your vision with the whole company for the first time

08:28 The biggest mistake: set it and forget it

09:12 Quarterly all-hands meetings: making vision updates an event

10:30 Book recommendation: Traction by Gino Wickman

11:20 Core focus and purpose: what drives outstanding culture

12:23 Final thoughts and where to subscribe

In this episode, Richard Hill sits down with Nick Preston, the commercial force behind Muscle Food, to unpack one of the most intense business turnaround stories in UK eCommerce history.

Nick shares the raw, unfiltered account of building a category-defining nutrition brand, being forced out by shareholders, and then getting a phone call that gave him less than 24 hours to decide if Muscle Food lived or died.

Nick breaks down the complete journey, from creating the viral protein pizza that sold over 700,000 units in year one, to being removed from the business in September 2024, to receiving the call in July 2025 that the company was days from administration. He explains the 72-hour scramble to save the business, rebuilding trust with suppliers who'd pulled credit, and making brutal decisions with 150+ jobs on the line and no safety net.

This isn't a polished success story. It's a masterclass in resilience, crisis leadership, and what really happens when rapid scaling breaks a business. Nick explains why the business didn't need fixing, it just needed to evolve. Why shareholders got it wrong when they tried to shrink the company into profit. And why sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind when everyone's telling you not to do it.

Nick shares how Muscle Food became known for "making dirty foods clean," the mistakes made during hypergrowth, what actually breaks when you scale too fast, and why he's now building the business his way for the long term. He also discusses the role of AI in the future of eCommerce, the importance of team stability after years of upheaval, and why he doesn't read business books anymore.

If you're scaling an eCommerce brand, leading through crisis, or trying to understand what sustainable growth actually looks like, this episode is essential. The shift from reactive firefighting to strategic evolution is here, and the founders who understand the difference will build businesses that last.

Listen to the full episode now, and don't forget to hit subscribe.

Topics Covered:

00:00 Introduction: The 24-hour deadline to save Muscle Food

02:09 Meet Nick Preston and the origin story of his partnership with Muscle Food

04:32 Creating the viral protein pizza: 700,000+ units sold in year one

06:00 Developing 130+ products and the "make dirty foods clean" philosophy

07:16 The truth about being forced out by shareholders in September 2024

09:35 July 2025: The phone call that changed everything

12:15 Less than 24 hours to decide if Muscle Food lives or dies

14:40 Due diligence at speed with no safety net

18:28 The 72-hour scramble to save the business from administration

22:10 Rebuilding supplier trust when credit's been pulled

27:15 Communicating with the team during crisis

32:50 The mistakes made during rapid growth phases

38:42 What actually breaks when you scale too fast

45:20 Leadership under pressure: carrying 150+ jobs on your shoulders

52:10 Making brutal decisions with no time and no safety net

58:30 The vision for Muscle Food: evolution vs fixing

01:00:13 The role of AI in eCommerce and Muscle Food's future

01:02:28 Book recommendation: John Grisham novels for disconnecting from work

01:03:00 Where to find Nick Preston and Muscle Food

In this episode, Richard Hill sits down with Matthias Kleven, Head of Northern European Partnerships at Shopify, to unpack one of the biggest platform shifts eCommerce has seen in over a decade—the ability to buy directly from AI agents without ever leaving the conversation.

Matthias breaks down Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open framework co-developed by Google and 20+ retailers that allows agents like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot to handle the entire buying journey—from discovery to cart logic to checkout—without redirecting to a website. For Shopify merchants in the U.S., this is already live. For non-Shopify merchants, the Shopify catalog is now open for the first time ever, allowing anyone to sell into these agentic platforms.

This isn't theoretical. It's happening now. And the implications for conversion rates, customer experience, and how merchants think about SEO and product optimization are massive.

Matthias explains why 50 million commerce-related queries happen daily on ChatGPT alone, how merchants can toggle agentic storefronts as channels in their Shopify admin, and why optimizing product catalogs, FAQs, and shipping details is now as critical as traditional SEO ever was. He also shares how UCP sits as a universal adapter layer on top of existing APIs and tech stacks—it's not a replacement, it's an accelerator.

If you're running an eCommerce store, managing a brand, or building strategy around the future of shopping, this episode is essential. The shift from keyword search to conversational commerce is here, and the merchants who prepare now will dominate the next era of online retail.

Listen to the full episode now, and don't forget to hit subscribe.

Topics Covered

00:00 — Introduction: The biggest shift eCommerce has seen in a decade

01:38 — Meet Matthias Kleven, Head of Northern European Partnerships at Shopify

02:10 — Matthias's journey from programmatic ads to partnerships at Shopify

04:52 — What is Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP)?

05:37 — Why now is the perfect time for agentic commerce

08:52 — 50 million commerce queries daily on ChatGPT alone

10:23 — Buying without leaving the agent: how UCP eliminates checkout friction

12:54 — Conversion rate implications when you remove the redirect

15:06 — Agentic storefronts for Shopify merchants and the Shopify catalog for non-Shopify brands

17:39 — How merchants manage agentic platforms as channels

18:41 — Optimizing product catalogs for AI discovery: the new SEO

21:28 — Post-purchase experience and how UCP layers on top of existing tech stacks

25:36 — UCP rollout: live in the U.S., coming soon to the UK

28:52 — Consumer adoption: will people trust buying from AI agents?

32:18 — Why investing in LLM visibility is the smartest move merchants can make right now

33:29 — Where agentic commerce is heading in the next 6–12 months

38:50 — Book recommendation: Find Your Why by Simon Sinek

39:53 — Where to find Matthias and learn more about UCP

In this episode, Richard Hill sits down with Alexandra Stephens, Head of Performance at eComOne, to unpack how performance marketing has transformed from granular manual work to AI-powered automation, and why human insight around profitability still matters more than ever.

Alex shares her journey from fashion merchandising to leading paid advertising strategies across Google, Meta, and Microsoft, revealing how the industry shifted from SKAG-based campaigns to algorithmic bidding. But automation isn't the full answer. She explains why ROAS has become a vanity metric, how to feed profit margin data directly into your campaigns, and why visiting a client's warehouse is non-negotiable for building real strategy.

They discuss multi-channel integration (PPC, SEO, email), creative differences between intent-driven search ads and discovery-driven social, and how to prepare for Black Friday a month in advance by segmenting products early. Alex also introduces incrementally testing, proving what's actually driving revenue versus what just looks good on a dashboard, and shares her thoughts on the upcoming wave of ads on ChatGPT and other LLMs.

If you're running paid campaigns, managing budgets across channels, or trying to shift from surface-level metrics to genuine profit growth, this episode delivers tactical frameworks and real-world advice from someone actively managing multi-million pound accounts.

Listen to the full episode now, and don't forget to hit subscribe.

Topics Covered

00:04 — Introduction: Performance marketing and measuring real impact

00:52 — Meet Alexandra Stephens, Head of Performance at eComOne

01:28 — Alex's journey from fashion merchandising to performance marketing

02:49 — The shift from manual SKAG campaigns to AI-driven automation

04:06 — Why profit margins matter more than ROAS

07:24 — Understanding your client's business and warehouse operations

09:42 — How paid advertising works alongside SEO and email

13:34 — Creative strategy differences: search ads vs. social ads

16:10 — Where automation helps and where manual intervention is essential

17:39 — Preparing for Black Friday and peak trading periods

19:39 — Incrementality testing and proving true campaign effectiveness

21:28 — Ads on ChatGPT and LLMs for eCommerce brands

22:37 — Book recommendation: Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King

23:08 — Where to find Alex and connect on LinkedIn