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In this founder feature, we're excited to introduce Nick Andreas, the dynamic President of Stacked Commerce. Under his leadership, Stacked Commerce has carved a niche in the e-commerce industry by delivering innovative solutions tailored to enhance online business operations. Join us as we delve into his journey, insights, and the visionary tactics propelling his company forward.
Section 1: Background and Company Origin
Can you provide a brief overview of your background and what inspired you to start your 3PL company?
I’ve been in the ecommerce industry for over 12 years now, since I was 15. I started selling via eBay and Amazon in high school and transitioned into running my own stores through Shopify in college. To date I’ve generated 30M+ in revenue through my own stores, while coaching and helping others sell over 100M of their products. I still own and invest in ecommerce stores, while also operating as the President of Stacked Commerce.
At the age of 19 I was shipping tens of thousands of orders out of my college house. This was difficult for me to manage in that environment, so I switched to a 3PL solution. By the time I was 23, I had already used 5 other 3PL companies and had some terrible experiences. The worst of which was a 3PL industry leader that had raised over 9 figures in funding. During a large sale I ran that generated 1.5m in revenue and 40,000 orders in 5 weeks, this “industry leader” lost my inventory in their warehouse. I had to fly a team member out to their facility to find it. When they did find it, it took the 3PL weeks to then ramp up their order fulfillment volume, at which point they had already lost me hundreds of thousands of dollars due to late shipment related refunds and chargebacks. After this nightmare, I decided to create my own fulfillment center that could both handle quick spurts of high volume, while being able to provide partnership level service to clients.
What was the vision or mission that drove you to establish your own 3PL business? Could you share any unique or challenging experiences that motivated you to take the entrepreneurial leap into the logistics industry?
I wanted to create a solution that eCommerce store owners could look to as a full service supply chain partner, rather than just a disconnected 3PL provider. As an eCommerce seller myself, I love having centralized communication for each facet of my companies. Stacked Commerce provides more than simply 3PL related services. We also handle sourcing & manufacturing, print on demand and ecommerce growth consulting in addition to the traditional 3PL services.
How did you come up with the name for your company, and is there a story behind it?
Stacked Commerce is like having a stacked card deck. Aces in the hole. When brands work with us, they gain an edge over their competition.
Section 2: Company Growth and Milestones
Since the inception of your 3PL company, what significant milestones have you achieved in terms of growth and expansion?
I’ve been able to ship over a million packages, print hundreds of thousands of garments and have been ranked as the top rated quality provider on Printify for the US.
Can you describe a defining moment or strategy that played a crucial role in scaling your business?
Leveraging loss leaders has helped me to scale both my d2c ecommerce brands and my fulfillment center.
How have you managed to adapt and stay competitive in the ever-evolving logistics and supply chain industry?
Expanding from pure 3PL work to include product production capabilities combined with ecommerce growth consulting has helped me stand out as a unique provider in the industry.
What sets your company apart from other 3PL providers, and how have you maintained a competitive edge?
I’ve created an ecommerce ecosystem that extends far past other 3PL providers. We offer in house print production, sourcing & manufacturing through vetted overseas partners and cutting edge ecommerce growth consulting stemming from my experience as a successful eCommerce seller since 2012.
Section 3: Industry Insights and Advice
What are some trends and challenges you've observed in the logistics and 3PL sector over the years?
IOS 14 update was a huge challenge for me as a 3PL owner. When this update was released, our order volume was cut in half. Many of our clients went out of business. It’s been hard in the past to forecast order volume when making decisions to grow into a larger facility.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own 3PL?
I’d recommend they start out experimenting as an ecommerce seller to better understand both their future clients and the industry they want to serve.
Could you share any innovative approaches or technologies that have contributed to your company's success?
I’ve generated millions of dollars in revenue off of cold Facebook DMs without having much social media presence myself. If you’re good with communicating, you can get people's attention even without a social following.
How do you see the future of 3PL and logistics evolving, and what strategies do you have in place to adapt?
I think the ability to provide ancillary services can help smaller providers stand out against the big box, capital backed competition.
What tech stack and outsourced service providers do you use at your business? Please list as many as you can and write a short blurb about what you like about using them.
We use Shipstation combined with Shopify for our fulfillment & inventory management. I’ve used enterprise 3PL softwares such as Logiwa and Royal Systems, and have much preferred the simplicity, better UI and price with Shipstation & Shopify.
SS Activewear has been a great distributor for us with blank shirts, offering next day delivery on popular shirt styles.
Section 4: Personal Insights
In your journey as a 3PL founder, what have been the most rewarding and personally fulfilling moments?
The ability to create US jobs and help provide for hard working Americans has been extremely rewarding. At one point, I was renting an old Carnegie steel manufacturing plant. Knowing that an American Industry titan used to operate out of the same building was a pretty cool feeling.
Can you share a memorable or inspiring story related to your experiences as a business owner?
Fulfilling thousands of packages out of my college house was a memorable experience. I’d pay some of my fraternity brothers $15 an hour to come over and help me ship packages during the day and then go to college parties after the shipping day was over. It was also a great example of taking matters into your own hands where possible.
What is your leadership philosophy, and how do you inspire and motivate your team?
I believe in maintaining a strong chain of command. Each of my companies has a point man that I invest heavily into training and teaching how to think as a problem solver and leader. This simple chain of command allows me to manage multiple companies at the same time.
How do you balance work and life as an entrepreneur in a demanding industry?
It’s a constant game of tug of war trying to keep the right balance. I find it quite easy to get addicted to tech, whether that be refreshing email or checking sales. When I’m off, I try to stay OFF. This discipline allows me to operate more effectively when I am working.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
Unbeatable Mind by Mark Divine and the Four Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris have been two great books I’d recommend to any entrepreneur.
Closing Remarks
Is there anything else you'd like to share about your 3PL journey or any exciting developments on the horizon for your company?
We’re excited to have just acquired new production equipment that will allow us to offer large scale canvas prints, and all over print garment options.
