Tariff Survival Tactics — How to Protect Margins and Navigate U.S. Trade Policy with Luke Peters
Release Date: 07/03/2025
AI for NetSuite: How Josh LaSov Is Building NetSuite-Enabled AI for Finance Teams
The 8-Figure Product CEO
On this episode of The 8-Figure Product CEO Podcast, I sit down with Josh LaSov—founder of CAUZZY, a NetSuite-enabled AI platform designed specifically for NetSuite users. Josh previously built and sold Satori, a NetSuite reporting company. Now, he’s focused on a bigger problem: helping CEOs and CFOs move beyond static reports by using AI for NetSuite to analyze transaction-level data, automate finance workflows, and surface real insights—without hallucinations, security risks, or broken dashboards. We talk about why traditional NetSuite reporting still leaves leaders guessing, how AI...
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Your KPIs Are Lying to You: The CEO Metric That Actually Creates Value
The 8-Figure Product CEO
9 figure CEO Lee Benson shares his Most Important Number System that has helped him with 3 exits We dig into the idea of the “Most Important Number”—the single metric that brings focus, alignment, and real execution across the company. Because if your team is tracking 20+ KPIs and still not moving fast enough, the issue usually isn’t effort… it’s clarity. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to identify the one metric that truly drives value in your business How to build the right KPI drivers underneath it (so it’s not just a scoreboard) How strong CEOs create accountability...
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From Scientist to Startup CEO: Dr. Anita Sengupta, Hydroplane, and the Real Path to Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Commercialization
The 8-Figure Product CEO
On this episode of the Apex CEO Podcast, I interview Dr. Anita Sengupta—Founder & CEO of Hydroplane, aerospace engineer, commercial pilot, and USC professor—to unpack what it really takes for a high-level technical professional to make the leap into entrepreneurship. Anita’s career spans the kind of world-class environments most people only dream about—NASA, cutting-edge aerospace programs, and academic research. But building a deep-tech startup is a different game. In this conversation, she breaks down the hard shift from “well-resourced institutions” to starting from zero:...
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Small Business Turnaround Playbook: Inside a Fractional CMO’s Growth System
The 8-Figure Product CEO
Javier Lozano – Founder of Bolder Media Co., fractional CMO designing predictable growth systems for B2B founders. In this episode, we look at small business turnaround through the eyes of a fractional CMO/CRO. I bring Javier into the kind of company I see all the time: doing $5–10M in revenue, good product, but flat growth, weak pipeline, and a marketing “mix” that’s really just random acts of advertising. We talk about: How he spots a real growth story in a stalled business by talking to the team, digging into the numbers, and seeing if the market still cares. Turning random...
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From Zero Revenue to First Plant: How Evrnu Raised $35M in Hard-Tech Capital
The 8-Figure Product CEO
Stacy Flynn, CEO and co-founder of Evrnu, is doing something most founders only talk about: turning cotton garment waste into high-performance, fully recyclable fibers—and building a real business around it. Evrnu has raised about $35M in capital- How? In this episode, we dig into the real story behind that headline number. Stacy walks us through: How she convinced the very first investors to back a textile-to-textile recycling idea long before there was a plant or revenue. Evrnu’s business model—what they actually sell, who pays, and how garment waste turns into a product brand partners...
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Husband and Wife Co-founders Built a 9-Figure Cocktail Brand from Scratch – Carbliss
The 8-Figure Product CEO
On this episode I’m joined by Adam and Amanda Kroener, married co-founders of Carbliss Cocktails—a low-carb, full-flavor RTD cocktail brand that’s grown into a 9-figure business. Adam came out of the cheese industry as a Director of Manufacturing. Amanda stepped in as CFO and now leads the data and IT side of the business. Together, they’ve turned Carbliss into a serious national player in a brutal, crowded category. We cover: The key decisions in the first 24 months that bent the growth curve. How they handled manufacturing issues and tight cash when both inventory and dollars were...
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How to Build a 2026 Budget That Actually Works: Eight Areas Most CEOs Miss
The 8-Figure Product CEO
Most budgets fail before the year even starts. Not because the team didn’t work hard—but because the assumptions were never real. In this episode, I walk through the eight critical areas where mid-market companies blow their budgets, and the exact process I use when coaching CEOs, CFOs, and ownership teams through 2026 planning. This isn’t theory. These are real-world lessons pulled straight from reviewing company budgets this year—where revenue forecasts are overly optimistic, margins are padded, promo calendars are ignored, and SG&A stays untouched while the company continues...
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Fixing a Losing Business: The First 90 Days of a Real Consumer Brand Turnaround
The 8-Figure Product CEO
Your company’s been losing money for two or three years. Forecasts keep promising a rebound that never comes. Sales are flat or down, SG&A is bloated, and leadership is too close to the problem to see the real issues. In this episode, I walk through the exact turnaround framework I use when stepping into a struggling mid-market company. These aren’t theories. These are real wins pulled straight from the trenches—where outside eyes can find 5% in SG&A savings on day one and unlock a path back to break-even. We’ll break down the practical work: renegotiating everything from...
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When Payroll Eats the Business: Inside a Mid-Market Consumer Products Turnaround
The 8-Figure Product CEO
Most turnarounds don’t start with marketing fixes or strategy sessions. They start with a calculator. A few months ago, I stepped into a mid-market consumer products brand doing under $10M a year. From the outside, it looked healthy -- loyal customers, strong reviews, recognizable product. Under the hood, it was bleeding $70,000 every month. The core issue wasn’t mysterious. Payroll alone was sitting at roughly 25% of revenue. At their gross margins, breakeven wasn’t possible. SG&A had quietly swallowed the P&L. This episode breaks down the real math behind why product companies...
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How to Grow Past $10 Million in Sales with a Fractional VP of Sales
The 8-Figure Product CEO
What if you could hire a VP of Sales—without the full-time salary? In this episode, I sat down with Richard Few, Founder of Sales Geek, to talk about how founders scale past $10M using fractional sales leadership. Richard launched Sales Geek in 2017 and built a global sales consultancy—bootstrapped, with $6M in revenue, 15 core staff, and 70+ franchisees worldwide. We unpack how fractional VPs help early-stage businesses fix what’s really blocking growth: no sales systems, unclear messaging, and poor hiring. If you’re a CEO still doing sales yourself—or you’ve hired reps without a...
info_outlineIn this special episode recorded live with the International Housewares Association (IHA), business advisor and 20-year product industry veteran Luke Peters breaks down how U.S. importers can legally reduce tariffs and keep their profits intact—even with rising trade pressures.
Luke grew his own product company, NewAir, and exited to private equity in 2021. He’s been in the trenches dealing with global shipping, customs, and rising tariffs—and now helps other CEOs do the same.
In this session, you’ll learn:
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How companies are getting hit with 55%+ tariffs and what to do about it
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What the First Sale Rule really means—and how it can lower your tariff bill
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Why some importers are using DDP (Delivered Duty Paid) and what red flags to watch for
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How unbundling products and shipping in parts (instead of full sets) can save you money
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What tariff engineering is—and how small changes in product design can make a big difference
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Why getting a binding ruling from U.S. Customs can protect you and reduce risk
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When and how to move your supply chain to other countries like Vietnam, Mexico, or India
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Real examples from companies like SharkNinja, Yeti, and others that are already doing this
This episode is packed with clear, practical advice for importers, founders, and operations teams looking to stay competitive—without cutting corners.
You’ll also hear about:
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The risks of shady practices like false DDP deals or mislabeling products
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The role of brokers, legal help, and customs audits
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How to use tools and experts to check if you’re overpaying on tariffs
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What smaller companies can do to keep up with big brands who’ve already adapted
If your business imports products, sells on Amazon, or relies on global manufacturing—this is the deep dive you need to avoid losing margin in today’s trade environment.
Note: These are proven strategies, not legal advice. Always work with your broker or legal team to make sure everything is done right.