Hey, thanks for tuning in to another Partner Interview at EcomBalance. At EcomBalance, we’re all about creating win-win partnerships where we are able to grow with other companies in the ecommerce space.
In this exclusive interview, we have a conversation with Jon Elder from Black Label Advisor.
Jon Elder runs Black Label Advisor, a leading Amazon Seller consultancy which specializes in helping sellers reach their growth goals rapidly. He also runs the largest Amazon Seller newsletter in America: Amazon Insiders. He is thrilled about the community he has built and views it as a huge responsibility. In his spare time, he loves enjoying nature walks with his wife and two kids, working out, and exploring Texas.
Connor: Hey Jon, thanks for taking the time to chat with us here. We love getting to know our partners better so that our community can benefit from what our partners are offering and doing in the industry. To get started, can you give us a high level overview of Black Label Advisor and how it got started?
Jon: Sure! Black Label Advisor started out of a need for authentic Amazon consulting. I work with sellers from all over the world with varying business size and help them optimize, scale, and exit their brands. I also run the largest Amazon seller newsletter Amazon Insiders. It’s a movement!Connor: That’s awesome! Can you dive a bit more into the coaching services you offer? I’m sure our audience would love to know exactly what problems you could solve for them. Jon: I work 1:1 so it’s very VIP feeling. I only take on a certain number of clients and they ALWAYS work with me and never a VA. I designed it this way from Day 1 because I found that most sellers wanted my time and not an employee of mine. Typical topics covered on consulting calls include listing optimization, branding, inventory management, international expansion, product hunting, software solutions, and general guidance to help them hit their next revenue milestone faster. I think what makes my service attractive is that I’ve done it all on Amazon while other companies have very little Amazon selling experience.Connor: Jumping off of that…if there was one problem you’d say that Black Label Advisor solves best for your clients, what would it be? Why? Jon: Easily stagnation. It’s not uncommon for a client to come to me with their brand that has hit a plateau and we make some big changes together and voila, new revenue record achieved! Obviously, these recommendations come from experience and I’m not necessarily sharing any life changing hacks BUT there are proven strategies on Amazon that many people seem to overlook. My job is to be their outside set of eyes and steer the ship in the right direction.Connor: As the company continues to grow over the next year, what are your plans for expansion? Any new products, services, or enhancements to your current services? Jon: All eyes are on my newsletter Amazon Insiders. It has over 3,000 subscribers now and continues to grow rapidly. I’m investing advertising dollars now and more of my personal time. I want it to be THE Amazon seller resource that people trust. Also, I refuse to use AI for content so everything I do is written by hand!Connor: And how specifically would you say that Black Label Advisor and your team is different from other similar businesses in the industry?Jon: Everything is tailored to the client. A client might need some strategic consulting while another might need some auditing done. Whatever needs to be done, I’m here to help. I also provide intros to strategic partners for solutions like PPC management. My job is to make sure my clients are never bogged down with burdensome tasks and are growing rapidly on Amazon. Also, my clients are never handed over to an employee! When they work with me, they get ALL of me. It’s very exclusive.
Connor: What made you decide to get involved in coaching? What’s your starting eCommerce story? From what we’ve found, a lot of business owners in the same space have fun stories of how they first started…
Jon: Well, I had a booming Amazon business in 2019 and exited for mid-7 figures! Honestly, at the time, I was tapped out but I was hitting my goal numbers for exiting so timing wise, it was great. From day 1, I wanted to exit. When I started working with a broker and received the business evaluation, it was clear that exiting was the smart move.
After exiting, I took some time off with family and did nothing but enjoy them! It was a wonderful time. I ended up starting Black Label Advisor a year later. Being a coach is something that comes naturally to me and I derive a lot of satisfaction from it! I also got sick and tired of seeing people scammed out of their life savings with Amazon “gurus” promising Lambos. It’s funny, on Twitter, people call me the anti-guru Guru.
Connor: Love it! Talking more about the eCommerce industry, where do you see it going in the next 1-2 years? Any unique predictions that you could share? Jon: Expect a mild recession over the next couple years. Americans are having a hard time affording groceries so wallets are being tightened as I write this! This means that product innovation will mean more than ever. The days of easy money are over. Truly sell something magical to the consumer. This takes more effort but it will be a necessity going forward.Connor: Giving you an open mic for a minute, what is something you’d want the EcomBalance audience to hear?Jon: Outsource your PPC and other mundane tasks ASAP! I see this happen all the time and I ask clients “what were you thinking?!” It’s a bit harsh but as a business owner, you need to be focused on launching new products and NOT answering emails all day long. VAs and software address this but many sellers cling to these tasks for some odd reason.Connor: Changing gears a little bit…When it comes to bookkeeping and accounting, what do you think the biggest pain points for business owners are? Feel free to speak from personal experience as well. Jon: Honestly, it’s on time delivery and communication. I can’t tell you how many times I see clients frustrated that their CPA forgot everything about their business and is late providing monthly financials! It’s a huge pain point for sellers right now and it’s only getting worse. I’m blessed to have a fantastic CPA so I can’t speak to this but I do see it a lot!Connor: As we close this out, I just have one more question. Where is the best place to find and follow you and the company online? Also, if you have one, is there any special offer that you’ll be offering to the community today? Jon: I am the most active on Twitter and on my weekly newsletter Amazon Insiders.
