Learning how to build an ecommerce brand from scratch is one of the most searched and most misunderstood topics for entrepreneurs in 2026. In Episode 144 of The Profit Minds Podcast, Dr. Steven Kirch sits down with Elina Pantalayeva – founder of a 7-figure ecommerce brand for doodle dog owners.
In 2023 Elina was laid off from her AI tech job making $175,000 a year. With 2 weeks of severance, no business experience and no investors, she cashed out her 401K, read a book called 12 Months to 1 Million and built a 7-figure brand from scratch by doing one thing differently from everyone else. She found her community first. And then built the product they were already asking for.
In this episode, Dr. Kirch and Elina Pantalayeva break down exactly how to build an ecommerce brand from scratch and grow it to 7 figures:
Elina Pantalayeva immigrated to the US from Ukraine at age 3. She grew up with no entrepreneurial role models in her family. In college she bought items on Craigslist and flipped them on eBay – without realizing that was entrepreneurship. In 2023 she was laid off from her AI tech job making $175,000 a year at age 27.
She cashed out her 401K, read 12 Months to 1 Million by her now-mentor, and built a 7-figure ecommerce brand for doodle dog owners with no team, no investors and no prior ecommerce experience. She now runs a community that meets twice monthly to help stuck 9-to-5 professionals build their own brands.
Most entrepreneurs build a product and then search for customers. Elina did the opposite. And it changed everything.
She joined Facebook groups for doodle dog owners and posted a simple question – would anyone be willing to talk to her about the challenges of owning a doodle? She talked to 15 people. The number one pain point was crystal clear – doodle hair is hard to brush and gets tangled easily. That conversation became her first product – a doodle detangler spray.
As she explains – when you know how to build an ecommerce brand from scratch the right way, you are never guessing. You are creating something you already know people want. Selling becomes easy. You are not haggling. You are solving a real problem for real people who are grateful to pay for it.
While she was developing her product, Elina did something most entrepreneurs never think to do. She documented everything publicly. Sent emails telling her growing community about manufacturer calls. She sent product samples to community members for testing. She let her audience be part of the story.
When she launched – people bought immediately. Not because she had reviews. Not because she had proof. Because they had been on the journey with her. They trusted her. They felt invested in her success. And people always support what they helped build.
One of the most valuable insights in this episode comes when Elina addresses the biggest question every aspiring entrepreneur asks – should I quit my job?
Her answer is clear. No. Do not quit your job. Your salary is your first investor. Use the cash flow from your 9-to-5 to fund your brand while you build it. Take the risk when the business can sustain you – not before. As she says – 90% of the challenges in the first year are not about tactics or strategy. They are about mindset. And having financial stability while you build gives you the mental space to think clearly and keep going when things get hard.
Reach out to Elina on Instagram and she will schedule a FREE discovery call with you. Whether you have a brand, an idea or just want to vent – she is happy to help.
👉 Find Elina on Instagram: @brandwithelina
Dr. Steven Kirch is the creator of the Profit Minds™ Growth System, which helps entrepreneurs and professionals accelerate profits through productivity, scalable systems, and AI-powered business strategies.
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