From Chocolate to Wine – Business Turnaround Secrets – Joe Fisch EP84
Release Date: 02/26/2021
From $7M to $280M — How Whisker Scaled Smart with Jacob Zuppke
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of The Eight Figure Product Show, Luke Peters sits down with Jacob Zuppke, CEO of Whisker—the innovative brand behind Litter-Robot and other smart pet products. Jacob joined Whisker when it was a $7M company and helped scale it to over $280M by 2022. This is a no-fluff conversation about: Transitioning from operator to CEO Building a scalable product roadmap Partnering with a founder without friction What it really takes to grow a product business at speed If you’re a founder, product leader, or aspiring CEO—this is a masterclass in operational scale and...
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The New Cold War? What Tariffs Really Mean for U.S. Businesses
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In this episode, Luke Peters breaks down what most business owners and investors are missing about the new wave of tariffs on China. This isn't just a trade dispute—it’s a global reset in how business is done. You’ll learn: Why this is not about leveling the playing field—it's about national strategy The real reason behind rising tariffs and what the administration is signaling How U.S. businesses importing from China are at serious risk if they don’t adapt What Scott Bessent's remarks reveal about the shift from Wall Street to Main Street Why this could mark the start of a...
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Selling the World's First Privacy Company — Featuring Lance Cottrell
The 8-Figure Product CEO
In this episode of The Eight Figure Product Show, Luke Peters sits down with Lance Cottrell, a seasoned entrepreneur and expert in security, privacy, and scaling tech-driven businesses. Together, they dive into the tactics that actually work when building and exiting a successful company—from early product strategy to leadership evolution and preparing for acquisition. You’ll learn: The biggest mistakes founders make in early growth How to think about product-market fit in technical industries Why leadership structure determines scale And how Lance built and sold his company...
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Inbound vs. Outbound: Why Most SMBs Are Leaving Growth on the Table
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Most small to mid-sized businesses rely almost entirely on inbound sales—and it’s holding them back. In this episode, Luke Peters explains why companies stuck at $3M to $15M often plateau and how adding outbound sales can be the growth catalyst you’ve been missing. You'll learn: The two biggest reasons founders avoid outbound Why doing the same thing at $10M you did at $2M is a red flag How cold outreach can add real fuel to your growth strategy Why executive talent—not just hustle—is key to outbound success If you’re not hitting new revenue levels, this episode shows you...
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High Payoff Activities: What CEOs Should Really Be Working On
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Most founder-CEOs are stuck in the weeds—busy, overwhelmed, and still not moving the business forward. In this episode, Luke Peters breaks down what’s really holding you back: low margins, reactive thinking, and no system for focusing on what actually matters. You'll learn: Why low margins are the root of burnout and chaos What “high payoff activities” (HPAs) actually look like How to shift your mindset from task manager to strategist Why hiring a true sales leader is often the #1 growth lever A simple way to execute strategy using OKRs If you're grinding hard but not...
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Margin Expansion: The Overlooked Key to Selling Your Business for More
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Thinking about selling your business? If you're relying on a standard EBITDA multiple, you're probably leaving money on the table. In this episode, Luke Peters breaks down multiple expansion—how boosting margins and reducing risk can increase both your earnings and the multiplier buyers are willing to pay. You'll learn: Why recurring revenue and consumables drive higher valuations How improving from 10% to 15% EBITDA can boost your multiple The difference between running a lifestyle business and building a sellable asset Simple ways to shift your business model—without...
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What Are You Tracking? Why Most CEOs Measure the Wrong Things
The 8-Figure Product CEO
Too many founders obsess over dashboards and KPIs—yet still miss what actually drives long-term growth. In this episode, Luke Peters breaks down the difference between lagging indicators and the leading inputs that move the needle. You’ll learn: Why real financial truth comes from monthly accrual reviews—not real-time dashboards The most overlooked metrics that shape future success How tracking too much is just as bad as tracking too little And why a Garmin watch might be smarter than your KPI report If you’re a CEO stuck in the weeds, this episode is your blueprint for...
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Now’s the Time to Hire: Why Downturns Are Gold for Finding Talent
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How to Lead Through Uncertainty: A CEO’s Take on Hard Times
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Your Margins Are Too Low! Here’s How to Fix Them Fast
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Most businesses struggle with pricing—charge too little, and you're stuck in a race to the bottom. Charge too much without offering more, and customers walk. So how do you set prices that maximize margins without killing demand? In this episode, Luke Peters, founder of a multi-million dollar appliance brand, breaks down value-based pricing—what works, what doesn’t, and the exact strategies he used to scale to $80M+ before selling to private equity. You'll learn: The real reason brands fail at pricing (and how to fix it) Why niching down boosts margins and lowers stress How to test price...
info_outlineJoe Fisch: How to Turnaround a Failing Business into a Thriving Business
How do you turnaround a failing business into a thriving business? How about improving the customer experience and adopting a great team strategy? Gaining back the trust of your customers by putting them first is a great way to turnaround a business.
In this episode of the Page One Podcast, Luke Peters speaks with Joe Fisch on how he and his team turned around Wine Access to a trusted brand. Joe is the CEO of Wine Access, a leading direct-to-consumer online wine retailer offering exclusive curated wines from around the world. He’s the former Vice President of Finance and Administration in the same company and has a background in finance, having served in other organizations.
Listen in to learn the importance of focusing on a customer experience strategy when turning around a company. You will also learn the importance of having great personal and professional support to perform at your best as a leader.
Key Takeaways:
- How to transform a failing business into a successful one by focusing on pain points and customer experience.
- The importance of having a great management team to help the business move in the right way.
- How to let go of control as a leader and trust your team to utilize their expertise.
Episode Timeline:
- [2:44] Joe explains how they source the best wine bottles in the world and market through storytelling.
- [5:08] He talks about their team size and their KPIs which are focused on customer experience.
- [8:09] How they shifted their focus to the customer experience at Wine Access after losing their business pillars for 2 years.
- [12:21] How he improved their wine supply by hiring right to make the process smooth.
- [14:37] How they improved the website by focusing on the pain points and upgrading the user experience.
- [16:37] The value of a great team in changing and driving the business forward.
- [18:00] Joe explains how they used their past failures to customers to straighten things out.
- [20:46] The importance of having personal and professional support to help you perform excellently as a leader.
- [23:09] How they’ve been taking more swings to encourage growth without unrealistic expectations.
- [24:53] The infrastructure challenge plus the tools they’re using to help improve operations.
- [27:00] The tools and products they use to manage the financial side of the business.
- [28:08] How Joe transitioned from financial language to understanding all departments’ languages.
- [30:55] Why you should spend more time with people to give you ideas on how to improve your business.
- [32:06] Joe advises maintaining the culture of not getting too high or getting too low.
Quotes:
- “We’re going to be hyper-focused on what really drives the customer experience and anything that’s not really in that realm we’re going to push aside.”- Joe [11:12]