Ecommerce Finance Podcast

IEEPA tariff refunds are now legally available and the filing system is live. In this episode of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown, COO at LedgerGurus and co-owner of Sole Toscana, walks through the complete IEEPA tariff refund process from start to finish alongside Stacy Walker, Director of Growth at LedgerGurus.

The Supreme Court ruled IEEPA tariffs unconstitutional. The Court of International Trade followed up and orde...

Stephen Brown, COO at LedgerGurus and co-owner of Sole Toscana, sits down with his business partner Preston Alder to talk about ecommerce debt. They break down why debt feels so confusing for operators, how bad loan terms get hidden behind simple marketing, and why cash flow pressure makes these decisions even harder in inventory businesses.

You’ll learn how to think about debt as a tool instead of a shortcut. This episode covers wh...

Stephen Brown, COO of LedgerGurus and co-owner of Sole Toscana, sits down with Stacy Walker, Director of Growth at LedgerGurus, to break down their 2025 Ecommerce KPI report. They walk through what actually separates profitable brands from struggling ones using clean, real financial data.

They explain how growth, profitability, ad spend, and channel mix all connect. You will learn what the top-performing brands are doing different...

In this episode, Stephen Brown of LedgerGurus talks with Matthew Kidman, co-founder of House of Joppa. Matthew shares how he built a profitable ecommerce brand without taking on debt, even with the cash pressure that comes from inventory, long lead times, and seasonal demand.

They break down what slow, sustainable growth actually looks like in practice. Listeners will hear how Matthew uses lean inventory, supplier terms, and tight c...

Stephen Brown from LedgerGurus sits down with Mark Lupton, founder of Greenhouse Business Advisors, to talk about what actually makes a business valuable while you are still running it.

Most founders only think about valuation when they are ready to sell. But the choices you make every day about growth, profit, and risk are already shaping what your business is worth.

Stephen and Mark break down the difference between chasing growth ...

Stephen Brown from LedgerGurus sits down with Geoff Gualano from A2X to break down the four levels of ecommerce accounting maturity and the metrics that actually matter at each stage.

Many founders think they understand their numbers because they can see revenue in Shopify or Amazon. But once payouts, fees, inventory, and cash flow enter the picture, the story gets more complicated.

This episode walks through what changes as a busine...

Stephen Brown from LedgerGurus talks with Nate Littlewood, founder of Future Ready CFO, about why ecommerce founders struggle to turn financial data into real decisions. Even with dashboards and reports, many operators feel stuck, overwhelmed, and unsure what actually matters.

This episode breaks down why more data doesn’t create clarity, how to identify the numbers that matter most, and how simple frameworks help founders focus, re...

Summary

Stephen Brown, COO at LedgerGurus and host of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast, sits down with Stacy Walker, Director of Growth at LedgerGurus. They break down the four margins every ecommerce brand should be tracking and why most 7- and 8-figure sellers only understand one of them. The conversation focuses on why founders feel profitable but still struggle with cash and confidence in their numbers.

This episode explains gross...

Summary: In this episode, Stephen Brown and Preston Alder discuss their predictions for the e-commerce landscape in 2026. They cover a range of topics including tariffs, interest rates, inflation, the rise of AI, the value economy, and the implications of a K-shaped economy. The conversation delves into the challenges and opportunities that e-commerce businesses will face, emphasizing the importance of execution excellence and inve...

Summary

Stephen Brown, Founder of LedgerGurus, and Kelley Birrell, Marketing Manager at LedgerGurus, look back at the ecommerce predictions they made at the start of 2025. They review what actually happened across ecommerce growth, marketing costs, interest rates, inflation, and AI adoption. Each prediction is graded with real data and real-world operator context.

They also unpack the biggest curveballs of the year, including tariffs...

Summary

In this episode of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown speaks with Oliver Blackmore from Elver Ecommerce Accountants about the complexities of VAT (Value Added Tax) for ecommerce businesses, particularly those looking to expand into the UK and EU markets. They discuss the differences between VAT and sales tax, the registration process for American sellers, common mistakes in VAT compliance, and the tools available f...

Summary

In this conversation, Kurt Bell from Dash.fi discusses the innovative corporate credit card solutions offered by the company, focusing on their unique value propositions such as cash back incentives and ad pay protection services.

The discussion highlights how these offerings can significantly benefit businesses engaged in digital advertising and shipping, ultimately leading to substantial savings and enhanced financial manag...

Summary

In this episode of The Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown and Mark Lupton discuss the intricacies of strategic finance in the eCommerce sector. They explore the importance of understanding exit strategies, aligning founder goals with business strategies, and the significance of long-term and medium-term planning.

The conversation delves into the common pitfalls in strategic finance, the role of intuition in decision-mak...

Summary

In this episode of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown and Chris Hondl from Finale Inventory discuss insights gained from a decade of building ecommerce software, focusing on inventory management, the evolution of ecommerce, and the challenges faced by businesses today. They explore the importance of establishing standard operating procedures, the differences between ERP systems and federated systems, and the benefi...

Summary

In this episode of The Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown interviews Ben Hussey, co-CEO of Katana, discussing the complexities of manufacturing and inventory management in the current ecommerce landscape. They explore the challenges posed by rising costs, supply chain disruptions, and the importance of real-time data for effective decision-making.

Ben shares insights from his extensive experience in ecommerce, highlig...

Summary

In this episode of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown interviews Ryan King, CFO of Thread, discussing the evolution of the company from handcrafted wallets to a diversified manufacturing model. They delve into the complexities of navigating tariffs, the impact on pricing strategies, and the importance of supply chain diversification.

Ryan shares insights on managing costs, consumer behavior in response to price chan...

Summary

In this episode of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown interviews Alec Koenig, CEO of Settle, discussing the complexities of lending in the ecommerce space. They explore Alec's background in lending, the challenges ecommerce businesses face, and how Settle aims to provide innovative solutions that combine lending with software tools.

The conversation delves into the importance of cash flow, the impact of tariffs, and...

Summary

In this episode of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast, Stephen Brown and Preston Alder discuss the implementation of the Profit First methodology in their business, Sole Toscana. They reflect on their initial challenges, the importance of understanding cash flow, and the mindset shift required to prioritize profit over growth.

The conversation covers practical applications of Profit First, the impact of market changes, and the sc...

Summary

In this episode of the Ecommerce Finance Podcast Stephen Brown from LedgerGurus and Joseph May from May Law discuss the challenges eCommerce businesses face in securing funding, particularly through traditional means. They explore the concept of equity crowdfunding as an alternative funding vehicle, detailing its compliance requirements, governance implications, and the differences between raising debt and equity.

The discuss...