The 2026 eCom Trends Report
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Podcast | Episode 651
Three Weeks From Broke to Oprah’s Favorite Things: How Popsmith Funded the Ride
What does it take to keep a brand alive when you’re just weeks away from running out of cash? In this episode, Tal Moore, co-founder of Popsmith, shares the lessons he’s learned from more than 25 years in eCommerce. You’ll learn why he and his co-founder decided to sell their other businesses to go all-in on one brand and what helped land Popsmith in Oprah’s Favorite Things.
Listen in to hear how equity crowdfunding can open investment opportunities to a broader audience, as well as why building genuine relationships and giving back to your community can pay dividends years later. Tal also shares why he believes entrepreneurs should deeply understand any marketing channel consuming a significant portion of their revenue before handing it to an agency, why running multiple businesses can dilute your attention and what has given Popsmith a much stronger path forward.
You’ll learn:
- How Tal went from 25 years in eCommerce to building Popsmith. (4:30)
- How Popsmith nearly ran out of money in its first year. (7:00)
- What landed Popsmith at major retailers and in Oprah’s Favorite Things. (9:00)
- Advice for anyone looking to hire an ad agency. (14:00)
- What Tal learned from raising $1.6 million from friends and family. (21:45)
- Why building a strong community can create long-term opportunities. (24:45)
- How StartEngine works for investors. (27:55)
- What to know about crowdfunding. (34:00)
- Whether crowdfunding is enough to sustain a business. (43:00)
- How much is enough for Tal. (47:00)
- The importance of slowing down and appreciating what you have. (55:30)
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music
(With your host Andrew Youderian of eCommerceFuel.com and Tal Moore of Popsmith.com)
What Was Mentioned
- Tal Moore: LinkedIn
- Popsmith
- StartEngine.com
- eCommerceFuel Forum
Ideas Worth Sharing:
"Every entrepreneur, when things get dicey, has to decide what their red line is. How much are you willing to put in before you get to the point of no return?" - Tal Moore Tweet this "Become a vanguard in your community and be a giver. Be kind, be caring, be giving, because you just never know when you might turn to the people that you helped and need help yourself." - Tal Moore Tweet this “I would strongly encourage anybody, where Meta is a main component of their advertising spend, to get in and manage it yourself." - Tal Moore 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.
