How One Bad Manager Sparked A $100M Journey

E-commerce has created more millionaires in the past two decades than almost any other industry, but scaling profitably isn’t as simple as it looks. That’s exactly what Josh Marsden, CEO of ARM5™ Formula Co., has lived through while helping entrepreneurs and investors grow profitable online businesses. Since 2013, he’s generated over $100M in sales and now focuses on acquiring and scaling brands in ways that actually stick. In our conversation, he shares the wins, the setbacks, and the real talk behind building wealth in this space.

Josh opens up about his journey, starting at the University of Phoenix, launching his own agency, and eventually moving into acquisitions. He explains how his ARM5 Formula came to be and why authority, reciprocity, and monetization are at the heart of every thriving e-commerce brand. We also get into how to spot a business worth buying, what to watch out for, and why the struggles often teach more than the wins. It’s practical, eye-opening, and surprisingly relatable if you’ve ever tried to grow something online.

What makes this conversation extra special is Josh’s willingness to share the personal side, too. He talks about the challenges of entrepreneurship, a recent setback that reshaped his outlook, and even a powerful ayahuasca experience that connected to the birth of his daughter. It’s raw, it’s inspiring, and it shows the human side of running businesses most people don’t talk about. If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to make e-commerce work, this is one you’ll want to sit with.

Key Timestamps:

[00:00:00] Introduction.

[00:01:17] E-commerce growth strategies.

[00:04:14] Backing into the entrepreneurship journey.

[00:07:51] ARM5 formula for business success.

[00:12:06] Customer retention in e-commerce.

[00:14:02] Delegating control in business.

[00:16:12] Agency to e-com acquisition shift.

[00:21:03] E-commerce acquisition success.

[00:24:30] Emotional resilience in entrepreneurship.

[00:27:40] Acquisition strategy insights.

[00:30:40] Ayahuasca retreat experience.

[00:34:05] Vision of the future.

[00:35:21] Community support and growth.

Memorable Quotes:

"You have to know the value of your time, and you have to stay in your lane and focus on your 80, 20." [00:13:20] – Josh Marsden

"The pendulum swings very fast when you have that much cash and capital needs." [00:22:30] – Josh Marsden

Connect with Josh Marsden:

Website: https://www.arm5formula.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshscale/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshscalemax

Twitter/X: https://x.com/joshscale

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshmarsden/ 

Connect with Eric Berman:

Website: https://speakeasymastermind.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasymastermind/

Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasymastermind/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericberman/

Produced by Evolved Podcasting: www.evolvedpodcasting.com