Passive income is a big topic these days as more people turn to it to rebuild their finances after the double-hit of the pandemic and worldwide recession. It’s easy to understand why: you keep your day job while on the side, you have a second job that, once established, takes very little effort to maintain yet still brings in that extra money. One of the most popular industries for passive income is e-commerce, as Amazon and other platforms continue to ship their products to customers around the globe. A lot of people would like to step into the world of e-commerce but hesitate because they are unsure of how to get started and who will run their businesses. Will Basta, co-founder of Ascend Ecom, a company that creates and runs e-commerce stores for its clients, understands and would like to explain what goes into running an online company and how Ascend Ecom can make all of it much easier and more profitable.

“Many of our clients come to us very interested in generating extra income for themselves in this way but don’t quite understand the ins and outs of it,” Will says. “I sit down with them and answer their questions so that they feel comfortable about investing in a new business like this.”

Will explains to Ascend Ecom’s clients that while e-commerce isn’t new, it has a virtually unlimited customer base. “No pun intended,” he adds, smiling. “Seriously, though, Amazon ships almost everywhere in the world. That contributes to a $4-trillion industry, one that is only going to keep growing, I think. I really believe there are enough clients out there for anyone no matter what their financial aspirations may be.”

Not everyone, of course, has the desire to run a business even if they do like the idea of having more income. “That’s completely fine,” Will believes. “So many of our clients are very busy people and really don’t have the time or the desire to manage an e-commerce company. That’s where Ascend Ecom steps in: we love the world of business and will do everything for you. You really don’t have to lift a finger.”

Ascend Ecom specializes in building, operating, and scaling e-commerce businesses on Amazon for its clients. “First, we focus on the giants like Amazon, which today represents over 50% of e-commerce sales in the United States alone,” Will says. “Here’s why: let’s say you wanted to start your own company independently of Amazon. You’d then have to go out and get your own customers, right? That would involve a huge investment of time and money into marketing. Amazon has already done all of that. They already have customers, so why not become an Amazon seller and come right behind them, reaping the rewards?”

The goal at Ascend Ecom, he continues, is for you to have a cash-flowing digital asset that produces passive income and long-term value. To that end, Will’s team creates a stress-free onboarding process, builds the business’ website, sets up the store’s backend on the platform, researches products, processes orders, manages inventory, confirms and tracks shipments, optimizes the feedback service, and manages audits. The result is a well-managed online store designed to generate passive income for Ascend Ecom’s clients.

“What is especially great about this is that if there comes a day when you decide you no longer want your e-commerce business, you can actually sell it,” Will explains. “Its value increases with time, just like real estate, so this is a very valuable addition to your investment portfolio.”

With such a meticulous approach, Ascend Ecom has expanded rapidly into a global operation. “We are based in Los Angeles,” Will says, “and that’s where we run the outreach for wholesaling. We’ve got 2 offices and a central warehouse now, and overseas, we’ve got an awesome team that provides customer service and product sourcing. Our team of 300 people is why we are able to smoothly run our clients’ online stores and help them to turn profits.”

This year has been highly successful for Ascend Ecom: the company has done over $20 million revenue for its 150 partners/clients. It is also building a distribution center. “We are proud of what we have accomplished, but really, it would mean nothing if our clients didn’t trust us,” Will believes. “We are different from other businesses in that we get a lot of referrals. People who are unsure about allowing someone else to run their e-commerce companies appreciate that we are strongly committed to managing them ethically and reliably. I think that’s the main reason why we enjoy such great word-of-mouth.”

Will turns thoughtful when asked what he and his co-founder have liked the most about running Ascend Ecom. “Honestly, it’s the difference we see in other people’s lives,” he answers. “While it’s true that no one becomes a millionaire overnight, we do see our clients eventually enjoy a higher standard of living. They get to live their lives on a different level and to experience a part of the world that had been closed to them. That ability to really be themselves and enjoy being alive is the gift of passive income.”