Meet our newest member of the Venture Forge team, Callum Jones.
With a track record of building highly successful Amazon stores from the ground up, we’re excited to have Callum on board to do the same for our clients. Let’s find out what makes him tick, and what he plans to bring to Venture Forge…
Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your background and how you got started?
I got involved with e-commerce around 10 years ago when I started an online clothing brand trading via eBay, Amazon and own web sites. Fast-forward 6 years – the company grew rapidly, took on 20 staff members and enrolled on to the Amazon Vendor program. The company was eventually sold, and I then went on to work on a consultant/freelance basis advising businesses looking at the Amazon market. I have since been involved in an Amazon supplement private label brand, AAVALABS, growing the Amazon side to number one bestseller in many categories across Europe.
Q. What made you decide to specialise in Amazon selling?
Amazon is a huge marketplace which can be very competitive. Both my clothing brand and the supplement brand are in two of the most competitive categories, so I enjoyed finding ways in which to get an edge over competitors. The search algorithm is also very complex and changes regularly over time. I enjoy the constant learning and testing involved with keeping one step ahead of the competition.
Q. How are you finding working at Venture Forge?
It’s been great! Lots of learning with the existing clients and reviewing the Venture Forge process on how the team works. It’s also been good to get hands-on with some of my own clients’ Amazon accounts and come up with some new suggestions.
Q. What are you hoping to bring to the role?
My vast experience specific to the Amazon marketplace means that I can approach this from the viewpoint of a previous brand/business owner. I understand how lucrative the Amazon market can be and I know how to grow clients’ accounts within it.
Q. What would be your top tip for a company thinking of selling on Amazon?
Do your research! Many businesses think Amazon is just another sales channel and often fail due to not taking the time to understand how the marketplace actually works. I would always advise to check out the marketplace and learn the basics of a successful Amazon listing first. On top of that, make sure to push your branding. Amazon is a great way to showcase your brand to a huge audience and has some useful tools available to brand owners in order to do this.
To find out about how Callum can work with you to maximise your selling potential through Amazon, get in touch.