After 6 months of online arbitrage, I went all-in on Amazon wholesale and brand direct sourcing. One year later, here's everything I got right, everything I got wrong, and the one brand relationship that ended up carrying my entire business.

In this solo update episode I break down:

• Why I ignored the "ramp up for Q4" advice and built toward brand direct instead
• The $10K mistake I made launching brands on Amazon that weren't ready
• Why patience — not goals — is the real KPI in wholesale
• How to actually win an exclusive with a brand (hint: fix their problem first)
• Why grocery/hot sauce listings look easy but eat your margin in prep and shipping
• Why I stopped being scared of $100+ price point items, and how one high-ticket brand became the foundation of my whole business
• The prep math mistake that took my margin to 0%
• Why "networking," even for guys in their 40s who hate social media, is non-negotiable

If you're thinking about getting into Amazon wholesale or brand direct sourcing, this is the no-fluff, one-year-in version of what it actually looks like.

Timestamps: 0:00 Intro — one year into wholesale 2:27 Ignoring Q4 hype to build toward brand direct 4:51 Mistake #1: chasing goals instead of activity 7:13 Don't launch outside brands on Amazon (the $10K lesson) 9:39 Staying organized with a CRM + call transcripts 12:03 How to actually win a brand exclusive 14:18 The "add value" trap (and my sticky note fix) 16:22 Do network — even if you're "not a social media person" 18:49 How to pick a category when sourcing 21:03 Buy box wars — watch out for whale sellers 23:24 Don't be afraid of high-priced