What if the polished ads you spent thousands on were actually hurting your brand? In this episode, we explore how real, imperfect content is outperforming big-budget campaigns — and why most Shopify founders are still getting it wrong. Jim Huffman sits down with William Gasner, co-founder of Stack Influence, to unpack the real power behind UGC (user-generated content) and why it’s become a secret weapon for smart eCommerce brands. From influencer seeding to ad fatigue, they get brutally honest about what actually drives conversions in 2025 — and how founders can stop wasting money and start scaling with authenticity. Key Topics Covered Why UGC outperforms professional ads in today’s market The overlooked value of product seeding (and how to do it right) How to build a content machine that fuels both ads and organic growth Why creative freedom often leads to better results than tight scripts The truth about influencers, follower counts, and what really matters Resources: Jim Huffman website Jim's Twitter GrowthHit The Growth Marketer's Playbook Additional episodes you might enjoy: Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45) Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41) How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44) Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10) How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)
