The 2026 eCom Trends Report
Top Report Findings: This is our sixth Trends Report with 300 owners representing $3.5...
I had the opportunity to sit down with Paul DeJoe, Co-Founder and COO of MUD:WTR, a coffee alternative that came to be in an almost unintentional way. He’s a really interesting, fun, and smart guy and we talked about a lot, including podcasting, content creation, and how MUD:WTR is trying to convince people to give up their morning coffee—which is certainly no small feat.
Tune in to hear the incredible story behind MUD:WTR, from how they got started to where they are now—and how they made it all happen. We also dive into the nitty-gritty of their marketing (such as why they are building an in-house content studio), how podcasting has helped them build great brand awareness, how they are building a community centred around the idea of health and self-improvement, and so much more!
You’ll learn:
- How Paul is convincing people to give up their morning coffee. (3:00)
- Where MUD:WTR is now and how they raised money for growth. (6:00)
- The best returns they’ve had in terms of marketing. (9:15)
- How Paul tracks podcasting leads. (15:30)
- Why they include a high-quality booklet in their packaging. (18:00)
- How MUD:WTR is building a community. (24:50)
- How they stay on brand with messaging and tone. (27:30)
- How Paul succeeds in his role as COO. (30:55)
- The amazing employee benefits that MUD:WTR offers. (37:30)
(With your host Andrew Youderian of eCommerceFuel.com and Paul DeJoe of MUD:WTR.com)
What Was Mentioned
- Paul DeJoe: Website
- Farnam Street
- eCommerceFuel Forum
- One Click Upsell – Increase Sales 15%+ with Pre-and Post-purchase Upsells. (On average, Shopify users increase sales 15% immediately after installing the app!)
- A2X – Simplify your bookkeeping, eliminate the guesswork, and automate.
Image credit to mudwtr.com featuring their Morning Ritual Starter Kit.
Ideas Worth Sharing:
“We found product market fit by simply branding it as a coffee alternative.” - Paul DeJoe Tweet this “We saw an incredible amount of conversions through these really organic, real, raw stories.” - Paul DeJoe Tweet this “The real shift we had was trying to appeal to everybody’s authenticity within some boundaries, but not really to sound like us.” - Paul DeJoe Tweet this
Post by Andrew Youderian
Founder and Chief Instigator, eComFuel
Andrew quit an early finance job to sell CB radios online — an admittedly unorthodox career path. It set him on a course to found and sell multiple businesses, host a decade-running podcast, lecture at Harvard Business School and create eComFuel, the leading community for 7- and 8-figure online business owners. Andrew is fascinated with branding, AI, building community, investing and growing meaningful businesses that don't require sacrificing what truly matters.
