What Founders Get Wrong About Funding (From 7 Figure eCom Brand Owner)

In this episode, we dive deep with Dan, founder of everambr Eyewear and now Head of Community at Wayflyer — one of the most innovative funding platforms for eCommerce brands.

From building a 6-figure DTC brand out of his kitchen to helping thousands of founders scale with capital, Dan shares the hard-earned lessons, cash flow mistakes, and capital strategies that every eCom operator needs to hear.

You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at how Wayflyer thinks about inventory financing, alternative lending models, LTV-driven funding decisions, and why brands succeed or fail in 2025’s economic climate.

We cover:

✅ How Dan built everambr from a tiny launch to $100K+/mo

✅ The cash flow mistakes that nearly killed the business

✅ Why inventory is your biggest threat and opportunity

✅ How Wayflyer helps brands fund growth without giving up equity

✅ The best and worst capital strategies eCom founders use

✅ New financing models for omnichannel, Amazon, and subscription brands

✅ Why cult brands are winning — and how to build one

✅ The rise of organic-led content & founder-led community models

Whether you're a DTC operator, CMO, or founder managing rapid growth, this episode will change the way you think about funding, forecasting, and brand building.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

00:00 – Intro

02:06 – Dan’s Unusual Office Setup

03:10 – How Dan Got Into eCommerce

05:18 – First Launch Success

06:53 – COVID Boom: 5X Growth Overnight

08:04 – The Post-COVID Crash

09:50 – The Inventory Trap

11:02 – Why Needing Capital Doesn’t Mean You’re Failing

12:15 – Why Inventory Ties Up So Much Cash

13:18 – Common Inventory Planning Mistake: Overordering

15:56 – Inventory Management Advice

16:57 – Dan’s Role at Wayflyer: Founder Community & Content

18:31 – What Size Brands Does Wayflyer Fund?

20:49 – How Wayflyer Beats Traditional Banks

21:37 – Why Alternative Financing Isn’t “Too Expensive”

23:36 – Viral Moment? Wayflyer Steps In

25:16 – 4 Data Sources Wayflyer Connects To

27:54 – How These Metrics Affect Financing Terms

30:24 – Addressing Debt Fear Among Smaller Brands

32:13 – Avoiding Low LTV Pitfalls

34:06 – Market Capture Mindset

35:46 – A Big Advantage of Wayflyer Financing

37:44 – Market Expansion: Wayflyer’s Global Reach

40:04 – Global eCom Headwinds: Tariffs, Inflation, and Uncertainty

42:15 – Mistake: Charging Tariffs as Line Item at Checkout

43:09 – Capital Strategy: Be Cautious With Performance Ad Spend

44:33 – Can You Copy Winning Brands? Kinda...

45:31 – Example: Pride (Pet Food Brand Using Comedy)

46:44 – Every Brand Needs a Media Arm

48:49 – Real-World Community Building

50:08 – Why Drop Models Work So Well

51:08 – The Rise of Founder-Led Brands

52:17 – WFAR’s Focus for the Year: From Transactional to Community

53:21 – Building an Engaged Online Platform

54:54 – Advice to eCom Founders Thinking About Funding in 2025

56:07 – Final Wrap-Up & Contact Info