journeys & pivots - american marketing association · 2020. 3. 14. · growth hacker//summary...

Journeys & PivotsLearning to say YES!

Copyright © 2020 Sabir Semerkant. All rights reserved.Copyright © 2020 Sabir Semerkant. All rights reserved.

I’m Sabir Semerkant.

20+ years eCommerce and Amazon Veteran

@sabirs

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabirsemerkant/

All materials copyright Sabir Semerkant 2020For further information, please reach out to me at [email protected]

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mailto:[email protected]

Agenda

Journeys & Pivots Presentation25 minutes

Q&A20 minutes


CURRENT REGENERATION

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Founder Growth By Sabir

(eCommerce Agency)

Strategic Advisor Matt Higgins, Recurring Guest Shark on Shark Tank

CEO & Co-Founder of RSE Ventures

SVP eCommerce GaryVee & VaynerMedia

How did it all begin?


HIGH SCHOOL

Total Nerd 🤓

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COLLEGE

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ORIGINAL MAJOR/PLANPre-Med & then Neurosurgery

GRADUATEDB.A. in Computer Science

1993I’m a Computer Scientist!

Met Guidance CounselorIt will take 12 years!


INTERNSHIP

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Help Wanted!Software Developer Intern NeededCollege Sophomore or Higher

Local Power Engineering CompanyGet Real-world Experience!

Applied + Got Accepted! Yes!!! Worked 2 weeks.

Owner says “We have a problem!”


FIRST 10-YEARS1991-2000

THE COMPUTER SCIENTIST

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Developed software for collecting, reporting and alerting Power Monitoring Devices

Developed first role-playing graphical MUDD game over the early internet

Developed OCR Software to bring paper reports to laser discs/CDs and built a search engine to index the paper content

Launched first web-based mutual funds/brokerage app

Launched Jim Cramer (MadMoney @CNBC) TheStreet.com

Launched several DOTCOM startups // tech team leader


PIVOT

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2001-2004

HYBRID

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VITAMIN SHOPPE needs an eCommerce person to figure out

VitaminShoppe.com

Time Period:No Social Platforms

Google is a new kid on the block!


2001-2004

WHAT’S A HYBRID?

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WEEKDAYSRun VitaminShoppe.com -

Technology & Grow Revenue

WEEKENDSLearn Marketing at Barnes&Nobel

Bookstore

WEEKDAYSApply learnings from Weekend

on-the-job!


2001-2004

HYBRID

SUMMARY

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Grew a bankrupt channel from $0 to $52 million in eCommerce Sales

in 4.5 years


2001-2004

HYBRID

SUMMARY

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Grew a bankrupt channel from $0 to $52 million in eCommerce Sales

in 4.5 years

Hey!

I’m really good at Marketing & Growing eCommerce Sales!


2004-2009

HYBRIDLet me try again!

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PURITANS PRIDE needs eCommerce leader to manage

Direct Marketing & eCommerce

CAROLS DAUGHTER needs eCommerce leader to run its

Direct-To-Consumer Channels

PERRY ELLIS wants to figure out how to get into eCommerce


2004-2009

HYBRID // SUMMARY

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PURITANS PRIDE needs eCommerce leader to manage

Direct Marketing & eCommerceGrew $170M to $212M in 2.5 Years

CAROLS DAUGHTER needs eCommerce leader to run its

Direct-To-Consumer ChannelsGrew Sales & Huge Following on

Facebook (new platform!)

PERRY ELLIS wants to figure out how to get into eCommerceLaunched in 8 weeks before

Holidays & Scored $1M in Sales!


PIVOT

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Realization


2008-2009

SELF-DISCOVERY

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I already did this 4 major companies.

I can do this on my own!

StartupVitaminCreek.com


2008-2009

EXCITING PERIOD

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Google Paid Ads - Mature!

Facebook & Twitter Launches

Financial Crisis!

Perfect Timing!!!


2009-2011

LAUNCH & GROW REVENUE

Still HYBRID!

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From $0 to $1M+ in 15 months

Self-FundedNon-Traditional Supply Chain

Exit: Sold Company


PIVOT

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Growth Hacker


2012-PRESENT

GROWTH HACKER

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CANON ECOMMERCE is a $100M business and want to grow the

eCommerce Channel

GARYVEE looks to expand VAYNERMEDIA to deliver

eCommerce Services

ASHLEY STEWART comes out of bankruptcy and the new owners

want to grow the business


2012-2019

GROWTH HACKER//SUMMARY

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CANON ECOMMERCE is a $100M business and want to grow the

eCommerce ChannelDefined Roadmap to $1 Billion

GARYVEE looks to expand VAYNERMEDIA to deliver

eCommerce ServicesLaunched a Global eCommerce

Practice across 4 locations

ASHLEY STEWART comes out of bankruptcy and the new owners

want to grow the businessGrew from $3M to $30M in 2 Years


2019

SHARKTANK//SUMMARY

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MATT HIGGINS with all other sharks makes unprecedented “joint” investment into CUP

BOARD PRO built by a late 9/11 FDNY firefighter.

Architected record-breaking and history-making growth in

SHARK TANK HISTORY!

MATT HIGGINS is asked to Guest Shark on THE SHARK TANK. Seeks me out as “Ecommerce Guru” to

coach him.


2019

SHARKTANK//NEWS COVERAGE

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PIVOT

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2020

SCALE SELF & GIVE BACK

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Launched GrowthBySabir (eCommerce Agency)

Share Knowledge & Give Back to Students

Through Conferences &Internships


Q&A

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[email protected]

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Thank You

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journeys & pivots - american marketing association · 2020. 3. 14. · growth hacker//summary...

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