Black Label Advisor

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Founder

Vanir Construction Management, Inc.

-- Acted as a Project Manager overseeing the design phase for two large elementary school projects in Dallas, TX.
-- Responsible for coordinating Architect and Dallas ISD stakeholders to meet design deliverable milestones. 
-- Received final scope to budget sign-offs (both within assigned Bond Program budget) from Dallas ISD Construction Services. 
-- Key player in achieving agreement on scope between the design teams, school principals, HOA organizations, and SBDM committees.  
-- Adapted to the Dallas ISD Construction Services design guidelines/procedures rapidly to effectively manage and lead my assigned teams.  
-- Taking an active lead in applying my past experience with LEAN best practices (i.e. pull planning) to improve design deliverable schedule dates and to make critical processes much more efficient.  

Project:
-- Dallas Independent School District Bond Construction Program ($1.6 Billion)

Project Manager

-- Lead a team of five County maintenance personnel to perform quality assurance level commissioning to ensure that systems ran efficiently and within design parameters.  
-- Oversaw the transfer of all MEP related equipment data into the County facility management system.
-- Coordinated submittal comments from the various groups within the County to ensure that the Basis of Design was being complied with.
-- Carried out all final punch list walks with the Contractor across 25 buildings and back-checked items to ensure 100% completion prior to turnover.  
-- Worked closely with multiple Project Managers to verify accurate percent complete for all phases of work on monthly billings.
-- Attended regular coordination meetings for technology installations, MEP commissioning, and detention equipment and software roll-out.

Project:
-- County of San Diego Las Colinas Detention and Re-entry Facility ($222 Million)
-- This 460,000-square-foot design-build  jail project comprised of 25 buildings across 45 acres, and featuring 1,216 beds.  The facility was designed to be the first of its kind in the United States to create a calming built environment to encourage positive interactions between inmates and deputies, thus helping reduce recidivism over time. 
-- The project finished ahead of schedule, on budget, and with a zero punch-list at turnover.
-- Achieved LEED Gold.
-- Recipient of 16 awards.  Of them, the most notable were the Marvin M. Black Partnering Excellence Award, the Project Achievement Award from the CMAA, and the Design Excellence Award from DBIA.

Assistant Construction Manager

Kiewit

-- Lead the implementation of linked digital PDF drawings and the roll-out of tablet devices in the field.
-- Took an active role within the BIM team to work closely with subcontractors to resolve all clash detection prior to construction.
-- Coordinated a survey team and utilized both AutoDesk Civil3D/Trimble technology to provide coordinate locations for roadways/bridges, soil excavation quantities, and as-built data.
-- Ensured that all project plans were updated with the most recent RFI and ASI documents.
-- Tracked daily reports and verified that monthly pay applications to the client remained accurate.

Project:
--Green Build Terminal 2 Landside Expansion Project at San Diego International Airport ($230 Million)  
--This design build project consisted of additions and modifications of all roadways, bridges, and parking facilities.  The most notable achievement was a 1,200 foot long, dual-level roadway that separates arrival and departure traffic, improving the airport efficiency and safety.  
--Was the recipient of the Project of the Year Award from the San Diego Chapter of the CMAA.

Project Engineer

Absher Construction

-- Worked closely with school staff to deliver final closeout documentation and extra stock.
-- Participated on weekly safety walks and documented findings with Safety Manager.
-- Verified that on-site material deliveries matched up with submittal documentation.
-- Managed a campus wide temporary signage program to ensure student travel paths kept away from construction activities.

Projects:
-- Nathan Hale High School Addition and Modernization Project ($60 Million)
-- This modernization project consisted of a 14,500 square-foot library and renovation to the existing building.  Unique elements of this project included open concept learning space, art gallery, a revitalized dining hall, and an overhauled courtyard.
-- Achieved LEED Silver.

Intern

Charter Construction

-- Assisted the Project Manager with ensuring that all projects stayed well within client budgets.
-- Responsible for all facets of construction documentation and making daily updates.
-- Worked closely with site superintendents to resolve critical field issues to mitigate schedule impacts.
-- Performed weekly site visits to log construction progress and inspect workmanship quality.

Projects:
-- High end custom residential properties (Up to $15 million)

DLH Inc. General Contracting

-- Gained experience with wood framing, roofing, drywall, painting, and demolition.
-- Worked closely with excavation crews to ensure proper grades were being met prior to foundation pours.
-- During heavy rains, managed multiple sump pumps to keep work moving.
-- Managed daily site cleanup prior to departure.

Projects:
-- High end custom residential properties (Up to $5 Million)

Laborer

I founded Black Label Advisor in 2020 after I sold my e-commerce business for $5 million. After I exited, I immediately felt the calling to start providing strategic consulting to brand owners looking to scale but not have to hire a full management agency. 

The response has been phenomenal.  I have consulted 100+ brands ranging from total beginners to 7+ figure legends like Caden Lane, Skin Grip, and Dr. Sebagh. My clients make up more than $100 million in Amazon revenue. 

I enjoy working with brand owners who have aggressive growth strategies and are willing to expand off of Amazon to diversify their revenue. Amazon is just the beginning!

My specialty is helping brand owners grow their online presence rapidly, increase profits, expand the revenue channels, and optimize for a lucrative 7+ figure exit.

My mission has remained the same: provide a high level of service for my clients from a place of experience and authenticity. Most gurus you'll run into have never sold on Amazon. Be careful out there!

If consulting isn't a need, I hope you find immense value from my daily social media posts and weekly newsletter!  

CONNECT with me here:

→ Book a free discovery call: https://calendly.com/blacklabeladvisor/discovery-call
→ Sign up for my free weekly Amazon seller newsletter: https://blacklabeladvisor.ck.page/amazon-insiders
→ Follow me on X: @BlackLabelAdvsr
→ My website: www.blacklabeladvisor.com
→ Shoot me an email: jonelder@blacklabeladvisor.com

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

🚨 RIP Virtual Bundles 🚨 

Yes, that day is here and I want to cry about it. Long gone are the days you could showcase your virtual bundles to your customers. Now, they are nestled under a "bundles with this item" tab which 99% will never see. 

Basically, virtual bundles died and now it's time to adapt.  

💡 My advice is to ditch virtual bundles and create your own physical bundles and list as a variation on your listing.  Now, obviously, I would not include a ton of bundles so keep this nice and tight. Focus on your bestsellers. Don't down people in options.  

Another tip is to mention your bundles in your A+ content. This is a simple and efficient way to promote them and at least get them in front of "some of your customers. 

If your AOV tanks this month, you will know why. 

P.S. If you love Amazon growth hacks, you will love my weekly newsletter, Amazon Insiders. There is a reason top brands like Simple Modern, HexClad, and Kitsch read it. Not only is it free but you will level up your Amazon business each time you read it. 

Sign up here: https://lnkd.in/gi7hvAGv

Jon Elder

I founded Black Label Advisor in 2020 after I sold my Amazon business for $5 million. After I exited, I immediately felt the calling to start providing strategic consulting to brand owners looking to scale but not have to hire a full management Amazon agency. 

The response has been phenomenal.  I have consulted 250+ brands ranging from total beginners to 7+ figure brands like Caden Lane, Skin Grip, and Dr. Sebagh. My clients make up more than $100 million in Amazon revenue. 

I enjoy working with brand owners who have aggressive growth strategies and are willing to expand off of Amazon to diversify their revenue. Amazon is just the beginning!

My specialty is helping brand owners grow their online presence rapidly, increase profits, expand the revenue channels, and optimize for a lucrative 7+ figure exit.

My mission has remained the same: provide a high level of service for my clients from a place of experience and authenticity. Most gurus you'll run into have never sold on Amazon. Be careful out there!

If consulting isn't a need, I hope you find immense value from my daily social media posts and weekly newsletter!  

CONNECT with me here:

→ Book a free discovery call: https://calendly.com/blacklabeladvisor/discovery-call
→ Sign up for my free weekly Amazon seller newsletter: https://blacklabeladvisor.ck.page/amazon-insiders
→ Follow me on X: @BlackLabelAdvsr
→ My website: www.blacklabeladvisor.com
→ Shoot me an email: jonelder@blacklabeladvisor.com

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

🚀 Helping brand owners scale PROFITABLY on Amazon and Walmart | Advisor & Consultant | 3X Founder | 2X Exit | International Speaker | Featured: Forbes, CNN, Bloomberg | My newsletter is read by 24,000+ founders 👇

🚨 Amazon Is Raising FBA Fees AGAIN 🚨 

I know, I know, you come to my page for inspiration, growth hacks, and good news. But I just can't sugarcoat it. I have some very bad news for you.

Yes, Amazon FBA fees are going up. 

No new fee types, but that is by design.

I know some of you sell larger items, so it's going to hurt you a little more.

🤯 Sub-$10 standard-size items will see the FBA fee increase by $0.05 per unit.

🤯 $10-50 standard-size items will see the FBA fee increase by $0.08 per unit.

🤯 $50+ standard-size items will see the FBA fee increase by $0.31 per unit. 

Ouch!

So, what's next?

As you know, I'm not one of the guys who spends all his time bashing Amazon for being unfair. My job is to HELP you thrive WITHIN the Amazon system even when it feels completely unfair.

So, that's exactly what I'm going to do today.

✅ It's time to fire up those awkward conversations with your factory and negotiate hard for better pricing to make these FBA fee increases irrelevant. 

If you source from China, right now is a good time to do that because they are freaking starved for work. Tariffs are crushing their production numbers, so they will be eager to move on to unit costs.

✅ Step 2 is to finally take the plunge and launch on Walmart. Guess what? Advertising costs are pennies in comparison to Amazon, and the average net profit for sellers is 10% higher than Amazon's. 

If you play your cards right and zoom out, you might find yourself actually increasing the overall profit margin for your business. Remember, it's not just the Amazon revenue line item that matters. By now, you should be selling on Shopify and social media as well. Amazon is just one slice of the pie.

Be strategic in 2025 and on. Refuse to get sucked into the negativity matrix. 

You and only you care about the success of your business. 

Never forget it.

Amazon just announced that they are going to start charging third-party software companies for API calls.

For decades, this has been free. 

Guess who will pay for these new costs? 

YOU, the seller. 

Every software company has to pay $1,400/year PLUS monthly fees 👇

🚨 Amazon Just Weaponized Rufus 🚨 

Amazon unBoxed is a monumental event every year and this time around, it was AI mania. 

There was some good, some meh, and some really bad. Then, there was some "what in the freaking heck is that?!"

That's today's topic: Amazon Sponsored Product Prompts. 

Rufus, as you know, is Amazon's customer agent that helps with finding products and making recommendations through answering questions. 

That's all cute and all but something very scary just happened. 

Amazon weaponized Rufus. Let me explain. 

Rufus does not simply wait to answer questions from customers. No, no, no. NOW, Rufus will generate questions it thinks customers might ask. Think of this like the Tom Cruise Orwellian hit Minority Report. 

Amazon then makes you pay a fee to sponsor the answers to these AI-generated questions that don't even come from customers.  Do you see how insane that is? 

It's a money printer for Amazon. And ultimately, this is the 21st century AI centered reality. AI is going to make Big Tech an obscene amount of money. And guess where the money will come from? Yes, you, the brand owner.

🚨MEGA Breaking🚨

50 year mortgages are happening. 

I’m actually a huge fan of this. 30 years, 50 years, why not? 

Make it a goal to pay off your home as early as possible.  

This will allow entrepreneurs to use the extra cash flow to grow faster.

🤣 Temu Just Tried to Bribe Me for $1,000 🤣 

Yes, that Temu. They obviously didn't do their research on me because they should know what I would NEVER encourage anyone to sell on Temu, which is an extension of China's CCP.

$1,000 to become an influencer for Temu? What a joke. 

All that aside, this sheds light on recent gossip about Temu actively hunting for American sellers to sell on their platform. This is more proof that it's happening. 

This is a direct result of Trump cracking down on the Section 301 loophole, which allowed Temu to import billions and pay ZERO tariffs. They are obviously doing a 180 and targeting American brands with a local presence now. 

This then begs the question. Who is saying yes to this email from Temu?

My prediction: Temu is going to try and fail with this. They are getting crushed right now and have pulled back on advertising. Their gold rush is over. They have zero chance against Amazon.

Amazon isn't perfect, BUT they are an American company and not selling our info to a communist state. As for me and my house, we will serve the United States of America.

⚔️ 15+ Amazon Wizards. 1 Epic Showdown. Are you in? ⚔️ 

You are cordially invited to attend the FREE Veeqo 10x5 Amazon Hack Series Webinar on Wednesday, Nov 19th | 7 PM CET / 1 PM EST.

It's an all-out hack-off to see WHO brings the baddest, boldest, brain-melting hacks.

Think: Amazon meets UFC… but with less punching and more profit.

😎 Your Ringmaster: Nick Penev, Co-founder of Xtreme Power Brands & eCom Hot Sauce + Partnerships wizard at hellotax and 40+ other places. He is a good friend of mine and one of the Amazon veterans of our space.  

🎙️ The Hack Squad:

1. Michael Radziszewski - Leverage External Traffic to Reduce CAC and Get a Leg Up on Your Competition!
2. Jasa Furlan - The Listing Perception Test - AI-Powered First Impression Audit!
3. Shane Barker - Nuke Fake Reviews Fast! Here’s how to find and flag them fast using the Amazon Review Checker. No guessing, just data!
4. Chris McCabe - Stop Opening Support Cases, Start Generating Leadership Escalations!
5. Vijay Jacob - AEO Hack: How to Make ChatGPT Your Brand Ambassador!
6. Monte Desai - Instantly Turn 1 Photo Into an Optimized Listing!
7. Jon Elder - Break the Amazon Image Rules While You Can
8. Erez Cohen - Scripts and Tricks!
9. Izabella Ritz - How to Verify Whether Amazon’s AI Data is Truly Correct?
10. Amy Wees - Rufus Knows Why Your Products Aren't Selling!
11. Andrew Maff - Amazon DSP: Turn Q4 Shoppers into 2026 DTC Buyers!
12. Elizabeth Greene - Stop Changing Bids! The 4 Amazon Ad Levers That Control CPC!
13. Matt Kostan - Hack Shoppers’ Minds: Proven Psychology Tricks to Turn Browsers Into Buyers!
14. Ben Leonard - LTV Explosion: Blow Your Customers’ Socks Off Within Minutes of Ordering!
15. Vincenzo Toscano - How to Leverage Your Customer Emails to Follow People on Amazon!
16. Janelle Page - The Headline Match Hack: How to Make More Money with Your Sponsored Brand Ads on Amazon!

🚨 500 spots only!

👉 First come, first hacked. Grab yours here: https://lnkd.in/gfurezxD

🚨Your China Tariff Math Is Wrong🚨 

I'm seeing copious amounts of tariff misinformation floating around on social media. Way too many people are getting confused and looking for answers.  

May this be a resource for you to use and share with your network. 

Let's go down memory lane...

📅 Historically, the 2025 Trump tariffs on Chinese goods totaled 54%. This was broken out by 34% reciprocal tariffs and 20% fentanyl tariff. 

Then Trump and Xi met. 

Overnight, we saw the fentanyl tariff reduced from 20% to 10%. 

But that's not all. The 34% reciprocal tariff has been reduced to 10% as well. This will remain in effect until November 10, 2026. 

This is where the 20% is coming from.  

💡 Now, time for some napkin math. 

Let's say you source air diffusers from China and have a huge ocean container about to arrive at the port of Long Beach. 

➕ You will pay a 10% reciprocal tariff, a 10% fentanyl tariff, a 25% Section 301 duty from 2018, and a 6% general duty, which is called "Most Favored Nation Duty Rate" (this is the duty that has always existed, way before Trump).

The key here is to ALWAYS factor in the 2018 Section 301 duty rates and the MFN duty rate. To be sure, you need to reach out to your freight forwarder and get confirmation because some types of air diffusers are exempt from Section 301 tariffs. 

I hope this helps you nail your math and not be confused anymore!  

🥳 Yes, you can pop that champagne and start celebrating.  We officially have a trade war truce. You know what that means. It's time to stock up!

My son had his first hot towel treatment at the barbershop. 

And today was his first basketball tournament EVER. 

So many firsts. 

I can’t imagine missing any of these. 

I often talk to Dads who travel way too much and then their kids turn 13 and they don’t even know how to talk to them. It’s absolutely catastrophic. 

Dads, you have one chance at this. Don’t screw it up. Don’t contribute to the farherlessness crisis in America.

This is so spot on.  

Leave your politics at the door for a second and just think about the math.

A 50 year mortgage is a genius idea because you are hedging against the dollar losing value over time, which is guaranteed by the way.

The math doesn’t lie.

Recovering CFO turned Middle Class Rebel

Marry the house, date the rate. 

Trump announced that they will introduce 50 years mortgages to improve affordability.

According to Linkedin, X and FB, 99% of all financial gurus, investment Jedis, and wannabe economists agree, it is a bad idea. 

They are all wrong. 

They clearly do not understand inflation and the devaluing of the U.S. dollar. 

They make the assumption that the $1m or whatever you pay over the term of the mortgage, is the same $1m in 50 years. 

Do you think the purchasing power of $1m in 1975 is the same as $1m in 2025? 

A 50 years fixed mortgage is a hedge against inflation. The payment will be the same for 50 years while the value of the debt inflats away and the price of the asset rises.

You borrow dollars today, lock the rate, and repay in nominal terms.

You are long the asset and short the dollar.

You can always refinance into a lower rate in case inflation declines and interest rates drop.

Onward and Upward!!

🚨Government Shutdown Over!🚨

As of tonight, the U.S. Senate has reached a bipartisan agreement to end the ongoing government shutdown, which became the longest in American history at 40 days (starting October 1). The deal averts further disruptions like furloughs, delayed payments, and flight cancellations. It requires at least 60 Senate votes to advance, with roughly 10-12 Democrats joining Republicans. A procedural vote could occur as early as Sunday evening (November 9), but full passage through the Senate and House may take until Tuesday or Wednesday due to debate and House approval.

The core compromise balances immediate funding needs with Democrats' push for health care protections, though it falls short of their initial demands.

Key Provisions
- **Government Funding Extension**: 
  - Extends federal funding through January 30, 2026, at fiscal year 2025 levels for most agencies (the nine unresolved appropriations bills).
  - Includes three full-year fiscal 2026 appropriations bills for:
    - The legislative branch (e.g., Congress operations).
    - Department of Agriculture.
    - Department of Veterans Affairs.
  - Specific allocations in the legislative branch funding:
    - $203.5 million for enhanced security and protection for members of Congress.
    - $852 million for U.S. Capitol Police.

- **Health Care Compromise (Affordable Care Act Subsidies)**:
  - No immediate extension of the enhanced ACA premium tax credits (set to expire end of 2025), which Democrats demanded to cap out-of-pocket costs at 8.5% of household income and prevent average premium hikes of over 100% in 2026.
  - Instead, guarantees a Senate vote by the end of the second week in December (around December 13-14) on a Democratic bill to extend the subsidies for one year.
    - The vote will be on a bill "of Democrats' choosing," but success is uncertain—Republicans have criticized the subsidies for benefiting insurance companies and covering abortions, and House Speaker Mike Johnson has not committed to a House vote.
   
- **Other Details**:
  - Ensures back pay for furloughed federal workers.
  - Replaces a short-term House-passed bill (funding only to November 21) that Democrats had blocked 14 times.
  - Allows time for bipartisan negotiations on the remaining nine spending bills post-reopening.

Impacts and Next Steps
- **Immediate Effects**: Ends disruptions to services like SNAP food aid, national parks, and air traffic control. No major policy wins beyond the vote promise.

  1. Senate procedural vote (Sunday night, needing 60 votes).
  2. Full Senate debate/vote (1-2 days if no objections).
  3. House vote (at least 48 hours' notice for members).
  4. Presidential signature (expected from Trump).
  5. December: ACA subsidy vote in Senate; further talks on remaining bills.

This deal prioritizes stability but leaves health care unresolved, setting up potential future fights.

Amazon has decided to gut 3rd party technology partners, announcing today that they will now charge for API calls.

3rd party ad tech has been the growth partner Amazon has leaned on for years. Creating capabilities that extended far beyond what Amazon could offer at the time.

This decision will gut many mom and pop ad tech offerings, and will raise the prices on ad tech customers across the globe.

The only winner in this deal is the Amazon shareholder, as the billions (perhaps trillions) of API calls Amazon receives have now become a river of gold.

The likes of Pacvue, Profitero+ , and CommerceIQ will survive, but how many smaller ad tech platforms can foot these bills?

Pricing is going up that’s for sure, but will brands pay for it, and are these tools ROI’s still positive with this new cost associated with doing business?

#podean #ecommerce #retailmedia

No alternative text description for this image

My youngest son asked me if he could watch the original Willy Wonka movie tonight. 

And something struck me. 

Most of the actors in that movie are either dead or decrepit by now. 

It reminded me of the Bible verse that reminds us that our life is but a vapor.

Choose wisely.

Looks like we will all have Amazon Prime satellite internet within 12 months. 

All joking aside, the billionaire space war is something to behold. What’s wild is that this is all being done by private companies.  

I wonder if China and Russia ever get jealous of us?

Reposting this for reach in case you didn’t see it. 

Here, I break down the tariff impact if you source from China. 

Yes, Christmas came early. 

Yes, all my data is vetted and confirmed by published documents.

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