Description:
In this episode, Matthew Stafford shares his evolution from physical labor to digital growth—unpacking how he built an agency that helps e-commerce brands grow by focusing on revenue per visitor, not just flashy CRO tactics. He breaks down what “revenue optimization” really means, why traffic alone isn’t the answer, and how AI is giving builders a super powered edge.
This is a must-listen for anyone serious about scaling an online business, building smarter systems, or turning browsers into buyers.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- Start with the Customer Journey: Revenue optimization begins the moment a visitor lands on your site. Every step—from homepage to checkout—should have one clear purpose.
- It’s Not About More Traffic: Stafford emphasizes that most e-commerce sites are leaking money due to poor UX and unclear messaging. Fixing that beats buying more visitors.
- Hierarchy of Focus Wins: Understanding the primary action on each page (e.g. filter, narrow, add to cart) is essential to guiding users toward conversion.
- Data + AI = Scalable Insights: Stafford shares how his team uses AI to analyze reviews, behavioral data, and analytics at scale—unlocking insights no human could spot manually.
- You Don’t Need Perfection to Start: Stafford reminds builders that action beats over-planning. Test. Learn. Improve. That’s how scalable systems are built.
- The Right Clients Make the Difference: BGS looks for businesses doing $100–200k/month who are ready to invest in growth—not beginners or discount hunters.
Matthew Stafford
Over the past three decades, Matthew Stafford has been entrepreneurial and successfully building several businesses across various industries, including Concrete, Brick and Mortar Locations, POD, and Software-based ventures.
Matthew Stafford, the Managing Partner of Build Grow Scale and an equity owner of some in-house Ecommerce brands, has knowledge and expertise, enabling him to mentor thousands of store owners through paid Ecommerce groups and live events.
His experience has also allowed him to help hundreds of ecommerce brands scale past the million-dollar mark – with many hitting the $10 million mark. To top it off, he's been speaking on stages about ecommerce optimization for the past seven years! In fact, before COVID-19, BGS hosted the largest yearly Ecommerce-focused event in North America – BGS LIVE.
THE MEAT OF IT!
1. From Construction Sites to E-Commerce Strategy
- How Matthew transitioned from architectural drafting to running a multi-million-dollar concrete business
- Burnout on the road and discovering online business through Tony Robbins
- Early success with Teespring and the pivot to owning e-commerce brands
2. The Birth of Build Grow Scale (BGS)
- Selling $15M in t-shirts and shifting into Shopify
- Early struggles with over-complication and the realization: data is king
- Learning Google Analytics and replicating success for others
3. What Revenue Optimization Really Means
- Why BGS doesn’t focus on traffic—and why that’s a good thing
- The hierarchy of actions across homepage, collection, and product pages
- Creating clarity and eliminating distractions on every step of the journey
4. Using AI to Build Smarter Optimization Systems
- Feeding analytics, reviews, and behavioral data into LLMs
- How AI acts like a superpowered assistant for data insights
- Practical examples of psychographic analysis and traffic pattern discovery
5. Lessons in Building: Repeatable Systems and Client Fit
- Why BGS says “no” to most things—and how focus created mastery
- The ideal client avatar for BGS (and why they don’t chase beginners)
- Building long-term partnerships by delivering results, not discounts
6. Advice for Founders and Builders
- “You already know enough. Do the work.”
- Action over theory: launching before it’s perfect
- Embracing innovation, testing fast, and learning by building
Click to See Episode Chapters and Timestamp
| Timestamp | Summary |
| 0:00 | Optimizing E-commerce Conversion Rates with AI and Strategy |
| 5:24 | From Architectural Drafting to a Nationwide Concrete Business |
| 8:40 | From Concrete Business to Online Success in E-Commerce |
| 13:51 | Building a Business Through Data-Driven E-Commerce Optimization |
| 27:05 | The Importance of Data-Driven Decisions in Business Strategy |
| 29:21 | Optimizing E-Commerce Websites for Better User Experience |
| 33:04 | Comparing Website Conversion Rates and Traffic Sources |
| 36:47 | Leveraging AI for Enhanced Data Analysis and Business Growth |
Check out these related Episodes:
- Episode 232: Gerry Hays – Venture Staking: Creating Opportunities for Everyday Investors that VCs can’t
- Episode 201: Nick Jain – Small Changes, Big Impact: Introducing New Features & Intentional Innovation
- Episode 182: Umar Rana – Experimentation to Building a Successful Tech Business Focused on eCommerce
