314: Getting Help Vs. Going It Alone

314: Getting Help Vs. Going It Alone

Author: Susan Bradley: E-commerce Expert April 7, 2026 Duration: 39:42

Bergen Anderson is the founder of Lila Barn Clothing — a Chicago-based brand making bold, colorful clothing for kids and adults who love adventure. She's been in business for 14 years, runs a physical storefront, and recently built a small production team so she can finally focus on the design work she loves most. In this episode, Bergen shares the full story of her journey: from a costly paid ads experiment that left her at a loss, to the foundational work that 10x'd her Black Friday results and transformed her email marketing from an afterthought into a revenue engine.

In this episode you'll learn:

  • Why paid ads can actually hurt your business 

  • How Bergen took her email revenue from under 10% of sales to 30% 

  • Why a few focused coaching calls delivered a higher return than months of agency work 

  • How to know when you're actually ready to layer paid ads into your marketing

If you've ever wondered whether you're spending money in the right places, or felt like your marketing is costing more than it's returning, this episode is for you.

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Susan Bradley has spent years navigating the twists and turns of online retail, and in The Ecommerce Roadmap, she shares that hard-won expertise directly with you. This isn't about vague theory; it's a practical guide built from the ground up for Shopify store owners who are tired of guesswork. Each episode pulls back the curtain on real stores, dissecting what actually moves the needle for growth and profitability. You'll hear a data-driven blend of overarching strategy and the specific, actionable tactics you can implement immediately. The focus is always on building a business with predictable, profitable sales, not just fleeting traffic. As an e-commerce expert, Susan structures every conversation to cut through the noise, offering clear direction whether you're just starting out or looking to scale an established brand. Tune into this podcast for honest conversations that feel like consulting with a trusted advisor, all aimed at providing you with a reliable map for your unique journey in online commerce.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Ecommerce Roadmap
Podcast Episodes
261: Growing your sales: what you must know first [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:44
I'm sharing one of the smartest (and simplest) ways to grow your ecommerce sales—without a big ad budget. But be warned: this strategy only works up to a point. If you miss the signs that it's time to shift, your sales c…
260: Do This If You Aren't Reaching Your Goals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:36
Episode 260: Do This If You Aren't Reaching Your Goals If you've ever felt like everyone else is growing while you're stuck, this episode is for you. You're not failing—but the way you're setting your goals might be. In…
259: How Trisha Built a High-Converting List for Her Product Launch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:10
What if you could grow your email list, create viral content, and sell more—without spending on ads? That's exactly what jewelry designer Trisha Flanagan did with a brilliant product tester campaign inspired by our previ…
258: The piece of the puzzle you've been missing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:24
I still remember how I felt when I was growing my first Ecommerce business, Wee Squeak. For a long time, I was frustrated because I just couldn't figure out what I was missing — what it was that was stopping me from gett…
256: How Pivoting and Consistency Doubled Sales for Wendy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:39
In this episode, we're learning from Wendy's incredible journey of doubling her sales within a year. After a motivating comment in our Inner Circle group, we invited Wendy to break down her success into actionable steps…
255: These 7 habits predict success, start implementing them now! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:55
Susan shares the 7 habits that are the best predictors of an online store's success. These are habits that can be practiced by store owners at any level of business, from mindset to practical tips for overcoming any obst…
254: Everything you want to know about Reliable Revenue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:35
Reliable Revenue is a once-a-year intensive course focused on building a long-term conversion system to maximize customer lifetime value through email marketing strategies and automations. It does not cover traffic, ads,…
253: Make your Brand + Products Stand Out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:45
Susan and Bonnie Christine discuss how surface pattern design helps businesses stand out through custom branding. Bonnie, a self-taught designer, turned her passion into a career by taking small, consistent steps. Surfac…
252: Use these 3 Steps to Get Featured in Gift Guides [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:08
Getting your products featured in gift guides can be a game-changer for your business. It builds credibility, boosts sales, and gets your brand in front of the right audience—all without paying for ads. In this episode,…