Here’s what we have inside this week’s newsletter:

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• A free SmartScout masterclass​

• Interview with Brandon Vaughan (highest-level entrepreneur I've had on the pod)

• How Amazon beat earnings despite tariff fears

• IRS ramps up e-commerce enforcement

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Your Free SmartScout Shortcut

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I just created a SmartScout masterclass that’s completely free.

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What you’ll learn:

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• The three-step brand criteria

• How to use storefront stalking to ethically steal other sellers' leads

• The specific filters that separate profitable subcategories from time wasters

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The course walks you through beginner to advanced strategies, with real examples and knowledge checks to test your understanding.

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Click Here For The Free Course

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Insights On Business, AI, and Hiring

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My latest podcast guest has an impressive track record.

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Brandon Vaughan has coached over 20,000 entrepreneurs and owns 10 successful companies.

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His latest venture uses AI to find, recruit, and hire top talent for business owners.

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Key insights from our conversation:

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• Why most entrepreneurs fail at hiring (and how AI fixes it)

• How he built a franchise business to 32 locations

• How he built systems that let him step back from day-to-day operations

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Click Here For The Full Interview

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Amazon Beats Earnings Despite Tariff Drama

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Amazon reported Q2 earnings that beat Wall Street expectations.

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• Revenue: $167.7 billion (13% growth)

• Earnings per share = $1.68 ($1.33 expected)

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Even with tariff uncertainty, CEO Andy Jassy said the company hasn’t seen less demand or major price increases so far this year.

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My take: Amazon’s showing it can handle uncertainty better than the market expected. For sellers, this shows consumer demand is still strong.

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IRS Targets E-Commerce Sellers in 2025

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The IRS is ramping up enforcement on online sellers this year.

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According to tax resolution firm Clear Start Tax, self-employed e-commerce vendors are at risk if they haven’t been keeping accurate records.

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Sellers using PayPal, Stripe, or Venmo for business purposes may be flagged if their tax filings don’t align with payment processor data.

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My take: This is a wake up call for every Amazon seller who’s been sloppy with bookkeeping. The days of treating e-commerce as a side hustle are over. Get your records straight now, or the IRS will do it for you, and it won't be pretty.

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Thanks for reading, be back next week!

-Corey

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PS: Be sure to check out the free SmartScout masterclass if you’re serious about finding profitable brand direct accounts.