👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep168-if-we-had-to-start-again-in-todays-uk-economy

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley run a thought experiment: if they had to start from zero today in the UK — with rising costs, higher overheads, and changing buyer behaviour — what would they do differently?

They break down the “overhead trap” that kills most new businesses, why high-ticket is more attractive in this economy, and the practical blueprint they’d follow to build a resilient store without stock, staff, or a physical premises.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/O5d5bHukNJM

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ The Overhead Trap — Why rent, rates, payroll, stock and fixed costs crush new businesses before they ever get momentum.
★ The Lean-First Principle — Starting online-only, keeping costs tiny, and building from cashflow instead of debt.
★ Why High Ticket Is Easier Right Now — Fewer sales needed, more profit per order, and more margin for error.
★ Using AI the Right Way — Speed up tasks (copy, research, drafts) without outsourcing the strategy to a robot.

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Lewis’s Book → https://dropshipunlocked.com/book
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle
Free Training / Roadmap → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep168-if-we-had-to-start-again-in-todays-uk-economy

💡 Key Takeaways
★ Avoid Fixed Costs Early — Don’t start your business from “minus 10” with rent, stock, staff, and big commitments.
★ High Ticket = Fewer Customers Needed — Build around bigger profit per order so you can reach meaningful income with a small number of sales.
★ Use Live Data, Not Guesswork — Validate demand and price points with real numbers, then commit with confidence.
★ Resilient Models Win in Tough Times — If your model works in a hard economy, imagine what it does when the cycle turns.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep168-if-we-had-to-start-again-in-todays-uk-economy

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep167-can-chatgpt-make-you-10k-month-ecommerce

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley dive into one of the biggest questions people are asking right now — Can ChatGPT actually build you a £10k/month ecommerce business… or is that just clever marketing?

They break down where AI genuinely helps (and where it absolutely doesn’t), why experience and real market feedback still win, and how to blend AI with a proven system so you’re not gambling your future on a fancy prompt.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/vTvaAJYBMOo

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Can ChatGPT Really “Run” a Business?
Why AI on its own can’t yet run a high-ticket ecommerce business for you — and why treating it as an autopilot business builder sets you up for disappointment.
★ Confidence vs Accuracy in AI Answers
How tools like ChatGPT give confident, persuasive responses that sound right… but often ignore real-world margins, suppliers, and demand.
★ Why Experience Still Beats Automation
How human judgment, pattern recognition, and real-world testing trump theory — especially when choosing niches, validating products, and negotiating with suppliers.

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Lewis’s Book → https://dropshipunlocked.com/book
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ Use AI for Speed, Not Strategy
Let AI help you brainstorm ideas, write copy, generate FAQs, and test ad angles — but don’t outsource niche selection, supplier choice, or overall strategy to a language model.
★ Don’t Build on Shaky AI Assumptions
If you let ChatGPT decide your niche and products without real validation, you can easily spend months building a business that was doomed from day one.
★ You Set the Direction — AI Helps You Get There Faster
The people winning right now are using a proven roadmap, real supplier partnerships and community support, then layering AI on top as a powerful assistant, not a replacement.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep167-can-chatgpt-make-you-10k-month-ecommerce

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep166-build-a-5k-month-business-between-bedtime-and-the-school-run

🗣 In this episode, ecommerce founders Lewis Smith and James Eardley dive into how busy parents are building £5,000/month UK ecommerce businesses without sacrificing bedtime stories, school runs, or family weekends.

They unpack the belief that you need long, uninterrupted four-hour work blocks to build a real business — and show why 60–90 minutes a day, used properly, can be more than enough when you follow the right high-ticket, UK-focused ecommerce model.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/PMXiv2Iownw

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ The Danger of Accidentally Building the Wrong Business
• Why blindly following flashy TikTok/YouTube models (cheap AliExpress/TEMU dropshipping) often creates chaos at home.
★ How High-Ticket UK Ecommerce Fits Into a Parent’s Life
• The Home-Turf Advantage model: high-ticket products, UK suppliers, next-day delivery, low refund rates.
★ Building a £5k/Month ‘Between Bedtime and the School Run’
• Why 60–90 minute windows (evenings, lunchtimes, nursery/school hours) are the perfect amount of time.

🛠 Links & Resources Mentioned
Lewis’s Book → https://dropshipunlocked.com/book
Shopify £1-for-3-months Offer → https://dropshipunlocked.com/shopify
Free Trial of a Professional Phone Line → https://dropshipunlocked.com/circle

💡 Key Takeaways
★ You Don’t Need More Time — You Need a Better Model
Long, uninterrupted 4-hour blocks are nice, but not necessary. With the right model and roadmap, 60–90 focused minutes a day can be enough to build a serious business.
★ High-Ticket + UK Suppliers = Calm, Parent-Friendly Business
A handful of high-profit orders from UK suppliers with next-day delivery is far more manageable than hundreds of low-ticket orders with long shipping times and constant complaints.
★ Choose a Proven Roadmap Over Random Advice
Trying to piece together TikTok clips, YouTube shorts and scattered podcasts leads to overwhelm. Following one clear step-by-step plan dramatically increases your odds of success.

📲 Follow Us
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dropshipunlocked/
X / Twitter → https://twitter.com/DropshipUnlockd
LinkedIn → https://uk.linkedin.com/company/dropship-unlocked
YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/c/dropshipunlockedlewissmith
Website → https://www.dropshipunlocked.com

🚀 Free Training
🌏 Want to create location, time, and financial freedom?
Watch our free training →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep166-build-a-5k-month-business-between-bedtime-and-the-school-run