😱 The $10 Million That Got Away…

What you’ll find in this week’s newsletter:

• 😱 The $10 Million That Got Away… [True Story]

• 🔥 9 Moves to Beat Amazon’s Capacity Limits

• 🔥 Inbox Search Is the Real AI Superpower

• 🌎 Amazon News & Updates

• 🤫 Why Reviews Matter More Than You Think

Keep your eye out for a special retail-focused webinar! 👀

😱 THE $10 MILLION THAT GOT AWAY… [TRUE STORY] 

A few years back, I had two business associates who'd become close friends of mine.

John was an old hockey guy who'd played professionally and still looked every bit the part of a battled old time hockey veteran.

Big, tough, and had stories that could fill a book.

My other friend, Ian, had immigrated from Vietnam and built himself into a successful businessman here in Canada.

Here's where it gets interesting…

John's mother wasn't your typical hockey mom.

She was a well-known psychic who'd worked with police forces across the country, helping find missing people.

One day, Ian decided to get a tea reading from her.

The session lasted about 30 minutes, and at the end, John's mom gave Ian paper with 6 numbers to play for the lottery.

She said to play them every week.

She “saw” these numbers but could not say when they would hit.

Ian took those numbers seriously, and used them for Lotto 649, a big Canadian lottery here.

He played them religiously every week without fail.

His office staff got into the routine too.

Every Monday morning, they'd check the papers while Ian wondered if he'd become the next multi-millionaire winner.

It became this office ritual that went on for years.

Then one Monday morning, Ian walked into the office to find champagne bottles, balloons, and his entire staff cheering.

He looked around confused and said, "What is it?! My birthday?"

They all thought he was joking…

The night before, his numbers had hit.

The pot was $10 million.

Ian felt sick to his stomach.

He walked into his office, closed the door, and pulled out a bottle of liquor from his desk drawer.

Ian stopped buying his lottery tickets two weeks earlier.

The numbers he'd played every single week without missing a beat.

He quit two weeks before they would have made him a millionaire.

Business Lesson:

Consistency beats perfection every time.

In business, success rarely happens on our timeline.

Whether you're running ads, building relationships, or developing a product, the magic usually happens when you stick with it longer than feels comfortable.

Enjoy the rest of the newsletter.

— Norm

And don’t forget to share this newsletter!

🎉 WHEEL OF KELSEY DRAW

This week’s 🎁 : a signed copy of the original first edition of Start. Scale. Exit. Repeat. by Colin C. Campbell. This is an incredible book for any entrepreneur and one of my favorites.

🚨 Enter → HERE. (You’ll be asked for your email and name so we can contact you.)

🔥 9 MOVES TO BEAT AMAZON’S CAPACITY LIMITS

Amazon’s still keeping things tight. For June and July 2025, they’re holding FBA capacity at 5 months of expected sales.

That’s down from 6 months in May.

If you got hit with a 75% reduction last month, don’t expect relief yet.

Here’s what to do right now:

1. Submit Additional Capacity Requests ASAP
June’s deadline was May 29, but July and August requests are still open. If approved, you get early release one month before the request window — no upfront payment needed.

2. Clear Excess Inventory Before Prime Day
Free up room by moving stale inventory now. Use promos, discounts, or removal orders. Make space for the stuff that actually moves during Prime Day.

3. Integrate AWD Into Your Fulfillment Strategy
AWD inventory doesn’t count against FBA capacity. There’s no inbound placement fee either. Plus, it auto-replenishes FBA, which helps avoid low-inventory surcharges. Perfect for seasonal or slower sellers.

4. Audit Inventory Performance
Look at slow-moving or underperforming SKUs — these are the first to cut or push to AWD. Your Amazon Inventory Performance Dashboard is your best friend here.

5. Monitor IPI Trends Weekly
Don’t wait for the end of the month to panic. Track your IPI every week. Look at how removals, shipments, and sales are impacting your score — and act before Amazon does.

6. Adjust Shipping Lead Times in Seller Central
Go into the Restock Inventory page and fine-tune and customize your settings. This helps Amazon plan and process your shipments on time.

7. Adjust Shipment and Replenishment Cadence
More frequent, smaller shipments keep your storage lean and flexible. Focus on fast movers and build in cutoffs so you’re not scrambling last minute.

8. Communicate With Your Partners
Loop in your 3PLs and prep centers now. Let them know about capacity limits and adjust your shipping and prep schedules. Coordinate with your marketing team too — move through high-storage SKUs faster.

9. Implement Better Inventory Systems
Track aged stock, monitor slow sellers, and align your forecasts with actual marketing pushes. Your future self (and your warehouse) will thank you.

🔥 Credit to Carbon 6 who has a great article to learn more → Here

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS THE BEARD GUY?

Can you find Norm in the picture below? Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to see the answer!

🔥 AMAZON AI IS CHANGING EVERYTHING…

Here’s My Takeaways From This Episode:

1. Start Creating Content Optimized for Rufus (AI-Powered Search)
   Amazon’s new search system, Rufus, favors listings and A+ content that directly answer shopper questions. Structure your content to be concise, clear, and aligned with how real people speak.

2. Include FAQs and Customer Language in Your Listing Copy
   Pull wording directly from customer reviews, questions, and competitor listings. This natural language is more likely to be surfaced by AI search systems like Rufus and Google’s SGE.

3. Use AI to Split Test Main Images Before Launch
   Before choosing a hero image, run it through PickFu or Product Pinion to test with shoppers. Sinclair emphasizes that small visual details can dramatically impact click-through rates.

4. Optimize for Mobile-First Browsing with Scannable Visuals
   More shoppers than ever are on mobile. Use images that are high contrast, text-supported, and make benefits obvious without zooming.

5. Audit Your Listings for Redundant or Outdated Keywords
   With AI search becoming more intent-based, older keyword-stuffed listings may be penalized. Condense copy, remove fluff, and focus on answering likely buyer questions.

   Find this episode of Lunch With Norm on YouTube and anywhere you listen to podcasts

🔥 AI IS DESIGNING SHOWS NOW - HERE’S HOW…

Here are my favorite TIPS from this episode!

1. Validate Your Product With Friends… But Charge Them

When Ben launched Bai, he asked friends to try the product — but made them pay.
Why? If someone won’t buy it for $2, they definitely won’t buy it for $20.

2. Design a Category, Don’t Just Compete in One

Bai didn’t pitch itself as a juice or a soda. It was “antioxidant-infused water” — a new category.
Tip: Create language around your product that positions it as the first of its kind. Owning a category is more powerful than outperforming competitors.

3. Don’t Outsource Your Brand Story

Ben wrote every Bai script, pitch, and tagline himself in the early days.
Why? No one else understood the emotional journey he wanted the customer to go on.
Tip: Even if you work with agencies, own your story, especially in the early stages.

4. Use Rejection as Your Market Filter

When Bai pitched to distributors and got rejected, Ben reframed it as a gift:
“Now we know who not to waste time on.”

5. Sell the Future, Not Just the Product

Investors and retailers didn’t just buy into the drink — they bought into Ben’s vision of a better-for-you beverage future.
Tip: Always speak to the movement behind your product. What industry shift are you leading?

Find this episode of Marketing Misfits on YouTube and anywhere you listen to podcasts

And that’s it, Beardos!

See you next Monday!

- Norm

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