👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep172-how-we-quit-our-9-5s-then-made-7m-online

🗣 In this episode of the Dropship Unlocked Podcast, ecommerce business owners Lewis Smith and James Eardley rewind the clock and share the real story behind quitting their 9–5 jobs and building over £7M in online sales.

They break down what life looked like before the wins, the doubts they had, the mistakes they made, and exactly what they’d do differently if they were starting again today — in the current market.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/r2VV29rRAPI

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Why the 9–5 was quietly draining freedom, time, and long-term happiness
★ The mindset shift that made quitting feel inevitable rather than risky
★ Lewis’s journey from corporate career to ecommerce freedom
★ James’s motivation around autonomy, travel, and controlling his own destiny
★ Why ecommerce (specifically high-ticket) was the chosen vehicle
★ The danger of shiny-object business models and platform dependency
★ How buying behaviour has changed post-pandemic (and why that matters)
★ Using AI, VAs, and systems to remove yourself from day-to-day operations
★ What starting from scratch today actually looks like (step-by-step)
★ Whether it’s realistic to build a high-ticket ecommerce business alongside a full-time job

🛠 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
★ Freedom Comes First — Money followed once the right motivation and model were aligned
★ Boring Businesses Win — Timeless, proven models beat trendy online “opportunities”
★ High-Ticket = Leverage — Fewer sales, higher profit, less chaos
★ Start Before You’re Ready — Both hosts built their businesses alongside full-time jobs
★ Clarity Beats Hustle — A clear roadmap matters more than working longer hours
★ The Opportunity Is Bigger Than Ever — More online buyers, more open suppliers, less friction

📲 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=ep172-how-we-quit-our-9-5s-then-made-7m-online

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here →
https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep171-stop-chasing-side-hustles-recession-proof-model-2026

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley break down why the “side hustle hopping” era is quietly destroying people’s progress — especially heading into 2026.

They explain why most people never win online because they keep resetting to zero, and why the model they teach works differently: it’s built on existing demand, real compounding, and skills that don’t disappear when the economy tightens.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/ygpbxWfymh4

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Why side hustles don’t compound — the hidden cost of constantly restarting and losing momentum
★ The boring-business advantage — why long-term, stable models beat hype-driven opportunities
★ Why high-ticket e-commerce works — existing demand, predictable buying intent, and strong margins
★ Why recession punishes inconsistency — and rewards people who stick to proven foundations
★ The real “recession-proof” edge — not the product, but the structure + transferable skills you build
★ How to get in front of buyers ready to purchase — demand validation + Google ads + Performance Max

🛠 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

📌 Episode 143 (mentioned): How to choose high ticket products that actually sell → https://youtu.be/efusffFBxXA

💡 Key Takeaways
★ Side hustle hopping kills progress — you don’t fail, you just never stay long enough to win
★ Compounding beats hype — pick one vehicle, push through the build phase, and let results stack
★ Existing demand is the cheat code — you’re not “creating” buyers, you’re showing up where they already are
★ High-ticket gives you room for error — more profit per sale = more resilience when conditions tighten
★ The model is recession-proof because the skills are — demand validation, ads, supplier leverage, systems

📲 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=ep171-stop-chasing-side-hustles-recession-proof-model-2026

👉 Ready to start your own online store? Start here → https://dropshipunlocked.com/start?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=ep170-how-suraj-bought-a-3m-year-business

🗣 In this episode, Lewis Smith and James Eardley sit down with Suraj for his third appearance on the podcast — and this one is a full-circle moment. After building two high-ticket dropshipping stores and passing £200k+ in revenue, Suraj went a step further and acquired one of his own suppliers — a business doing around £3M+ per year.

🎥 Prefer to watch instead? Watch on YouTube → https://youtu.be/LUiM2kmK4AY

🧭 Topics Discussed
★ Why Suraj Chose High-Ticket Ecom — Moving from service businesses (where time is the bottleneck) to a product business that can scale without him.
★ His Path to £100k+ Sales — Launching fast, learning the hard lessons (like not tripling ad spend overnight), and using Store #1 as a “testing ground.”
★ Building a Second Store Faster — What changed the second time around: simpler site, fewer “conversion gimmicks,” clearer niche criteria, better decision-making.
★ The Supplier Acquisition Story — How strong supplier relationships led to a surprise invitation: “Would you like to buy the business?”
★ What Changes When You Become the Supplier — Warehousing, logistics, cashflow timelines, and why the top-line-to-bottom-line journey is very different.
★ How DSU Skills Transfer Upstream — Using core ecom principles (ads, CRO, email flows) to optimise a bigger business that hadn’t implemented the basics.
★ The Real Secret: Supplier Relationships — Why suppliers need you too, how to stay top-of-mind.

🛠 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
★ Progress Beats Perfection — The winners aren’t designing logos for 6 months… they’re launching, learning, and iterating fast.
★ Your First Store Teaches You Everything — The second store becomes quicker and more profitable because the skills compound.
★ Suppliers Are Partners, Not “Vendors” — Take them on the journey, communicate wins, show up, build real relationships — it can open doors you don’t expect.
★ Skills Scale Further Than The Model — Once you understand ads, offers, ops, and systems, you can apply them to bigger opportunities.

📲 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=ep170-how-suraj-bought-a-3m-year-business