Let's explore the future of direct-to-consumer (DTC) businesses, expressing optimism and stressing the significance of building a brand rather than just selling products online. In this episode, Jordan West and  Ben Leonard, delves into the difference between businesses with strong customer experience and those without, emphasizing the value of building an ecommerce brand over just an ecommerce business. They weigh in on the economic situation, offering optimistic viewpoints and discussing potential opportunities in the M&A market. Listen and learn in this episode!Key takeaways from this episode:The threat of Amazon creating knockoff versions of products, leading to the downfall of original businesses, and the difficulty of competing with Amazon.Building a sustainable business with a loyal customer base for long-term success and business sustainability, and finding potential opportunities in the M&A market.The economic situation and potential growth in 2024, the challenges faced by agencies during tough times, and the importance of persistence and focusing on future growth.The challenges and successes in the E-commerce industry, particularly related to mergers and acquisitions, with a focus on not just financial aspects but also the value of brand and nimble business strategies.Recommended Book:Quit Stalling and Build Your Brand: www.quitstallingbook.com/jordanToday’s Guest:Ben Leonard, Author of Quit Stalling and Build Your Brand, is a UK-based entrepreneur who made the switch from the oil industry to e-commerce in 2016. With a background in mergers and acquisitions, Ben now helps others in the e-commerce industry navigate their own business ventures. Based in northeast Scotland, Ben continues to be a leader in the e-commerce world.Connect and learn more about Ben:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjleonard/Website: https://quitstallingbook.com/jordanGrowth Plan: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growMillion Dollar Offers: www.upgrowthcommerce.com/growThis episode’s sponsor is Motion App- they bridge the gap between media buyers and creative teams with fast, visual reporting for your Meta, TikTok, and YouTube ads. If you’re ready to learn how the best DTC and e-commerce brands use Motion to ship winning Meta, TikTok, and YouTube ads, book a demo today, or start a free trial at Motionapp.com. Get 50% off your first month when mention UpGrowth Commerce or Jordan West. Learn more here: Motion App Get 5 Offers for 2 Products (10 in total) along with 10 highly engaging tried and true creatives, 30 captivating headlines, descriptions, and ad texts sent to you for only $99. Go to https://www.upgrowthcommerce.com/offer and order now - this offer is only available for a limited time. We love our podcast community and listeners so much that we have decided to offer a free e-commerce Growth Plan for your brand! To learn more and how we can help, click here: upgrowthcommerce.com/grow