Why Ian Sells Started JoinBrands? UGC Platform For Ecom Sellers & Brands To Hire Content Creators

The creation of JoinBrands didn't come from a theoretical idea; it was born out of the actual frustration of running an e-commerce business.

Before the platform existed, getting high-quality user-generated content (UGC) meant a founder had to spend dozens of hours every week doing manual outreach, chasing creators for deliverables, and managing messy payment schedules.

Ian Sells and his partners realized that while the power of niche influencers was undeniable, the process of working with them was fundamentally broken for most brands.

The Story Behind the Platform

1. Manual Bottlenecks: Ian experienced the pain of scraping Instagram and managing full-time VAs just to get a single video made.

2. Problem-Solving Roots: With a background in developing software for Amazon sellers, Ian focused on automating the hardest parts of content marketing.

3. Efficiency First: The platform was built to handle contracts, sample tracking, and payments in one place so brands could scale without the administrative headache.

4. Niche Focus: JoinBrands prioritizes connecting brands with creators who can drive real sales on platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok Shop.

5. Special Offer: Use coupon code Vova50 to claim a $50 credit and see why this automated approach beats manual outreach every time.

From Manual Scraping to Automated Scaling

Ian’s journey started in the trenches of e-commerce.

He spent years doing everything the hard way, scraping lists of influencers on Instagram, managing endless spreadsheets, and employing full-time virtual assistants just to handle the outreach.

Even after finding a creator, the process was far from over.

There were contracts to sign, products to ship manually, and the constant stress of wondering if the creator would actually follow through on their promise.

This "old way" of doing things made it nearly impossible for a small or medium-sized brand to scale.

If it took 10 hours of work to get one video, getting 100 videos was out of reach for most businesses.

JoinBrands was built to turn that 10-hour process into a five-minute task, allowing brands to focus on growth rather than logistics.

Solving the "Trust and Delivery" Problem

One of the biggest risks in influencer marketing is "ghosting" where a brand sends a free product and the creator never posts the content.

Ian saw this happen repeatedly and realized that a software-led solution was the only way to protect brand owners.

By building a system where payments and contracts are handled automatically within the platform, JoinBrands creates accountability.

Creators are incentivized to perform because their ratings and future earnings depend on it.

This shift from "informal DMs" to a professional marketplace is what allowed Ian to help brands move faster and with much lower risk.

The Evolution of Content Sourcing

A Focus on Niche Creators and Real Sales

JoinBrands wasn't built just to get "likes" on social media; it was built to drive sales.

Ian recognized early on that niche influencers people with smaller but highly dedicated audiences often drive better ROI than giant celebrities.

These creators act as affiliates and brand ambassadors who can move the needle on platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok Shop.

Because Ian had a background in software for Amazon sellers, he understood that the ultimate goal of UGC is to improve listing conversion rates and sales velocity.

Every feature in the platform, from the AI brief generator to the Amazon Influencer certification, is designed to make sure the content produced actually helps an e-commerce business grow its bottom line.

Lowering the Barrier for Every Seller

Ultimately, Ian’s mission was to make high-level marketing accessible.

You shouldn't need a $5,000 monthly agency retainer just to get professional lifestyle photos and videos for your brand.

By removing the middleman and automating the workflow, JoinBrands has become one of the lowest-cost options for content in the industry.

If you’re ready to move away from the frustration of manual outreach and start scaling your brand the way Ian intended, you can get started today with a head start.

Use the link below and the promo code Vova50 to get a $50 credit.

This covers your first several pieces of content and lets you experience a "seamless" way to work with creators.

For a deeper look at the specific tools Ian built to help you scale, check out our other guides on campaign setup and AI brief generation.

P.S. – If you want to understand what JoinBrands actually is and why so many ecommerce sellers use it for UGC and influencer marketing, I also published a full breakdown covering the platform, workflow, and how it helps brands scale content faster. Read here: What Is JoinBrands | The Best UGC Platform for eCommerce Sellers