Industry pundits might say the future of retail is brands, manufacturers, and marketplaces. But don&apos;t tell that to Blair Budlong. His company, DecksDirect, doesn&apos;t own a brand, manufacture a product, or sell on marketplaces. And it thrives.

Lessons from a Friendly Bet: Beardbrand vs. Supply.co

Ecommerce Conversations is the long-running weekly podcast from Practical Ecommerce, hosted by ecommerce entrepreneur Eric Bandholz.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;•• Listen in as Eric interviews in-the-trenches founders and executives who address the essentials of launching, growing, and sustaining an online business. Hear their successes, mistakes, and plans — addressing customer acquisition, web traffic, marketing tactics, on-site conversion, shipping, favorite tools, funding, obstacles, and much more.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;•• New episodes every Friday. Subscribe to the podcast here, and then read a condensed transcript at https://www.PracticalEcommerce.com/tag/podcasts.