Shopify Masters | The Ecommerce Business And Marketing Podcast For Ambitious Entrepreneurs

Life and business partners, Natalie Holloway and Maximilian Kislevitz are the founders of Bala. They are the makers of Bala Balges, stylish weighted bands that amplify just about any workout.  In this episode, you will learn how the husband and wife team: Pitched on Shark Tank and had all sharks vying to be their partnerHow they received media coverage from notable publications like Vouge, Marie Claire, and GlamourAnd how they are managing an influx of sales during COVID-19For more on Bala and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/bala-organic-marketing   Also check out Shopify Ping. It's a free live chat app for Android or iOS devices. It even works on iPads! Did you know that shoppers who use live chats are almost 3 times more likely to complete their purchase? For more information visit shopify.com/chat  

In this episode, you'll learn from an entrepreneur who saw the need to offer a global brand's merchandise in niche markets. The Moomin Shop is the #1 Official Moomin online store, providing Moomin fans around the globe with the best of the Moomins merchandise. For more on the Moonmin Shop and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/moomin-shop-licensing  Tune in to learn What is a licensing deal and how it works How they use Facebook Lead ads that return 8 times return on ad spend The often missing element that makes your customers engage with your content 

Doe Lashes is a lash brand known for ultra-fine Korean silk lashes that are subtle, comfortable, and for everyday wear. For more on Doe Lashes and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/doe-lashes-influencer-marketing Tune in to learn What research you should do to determine if a business is viable What it means to focus on functions and features rather than your company’s brand Why it’s a mistake to ask for influencers to post about your product in exchange for the product 

We chat with Katherine Gaskin from The Content Planner on bringing workshops online, Jimmy Findlay Hickey from Findlay Hats on leveraging various capital and lending programs, and Patrick Coddou from Supply on how they turned around their business from a drop in sales. In the spirit of catching up, the team at Shopify recently put together Reunite, a free streamed event where the company's leadership team shared new and upcoming ecommerce products and provided insights about the future of commerce. You can watch quick recaps of key announcements plus find resources on how to put new tools into action for your business by visiting www.shopify.com/stream. For more on the merchants featured and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/shopify-masters-catch-up  

In this episode, you'll learn from an entrepreneur who invented a brand new 7-figure sport. CROSSNET is the world's first four square volleyball game. For more on CROSSNET and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/crossnet-pr  Tune in to learn How to find a manufacturer to create a brand new type of product when you only have a $5,000 budget How to increase sales using FOMO in your email marketing How to use LinkedIn to get featured on big publications like Forbes 

In this episode, you'll learn from a couple who are life and business partners on how they built a giftware company that designs and produces items that are sold in over 45 countries. Bitten Design was founded in 2008 and creates giftware from fun ideas. For more on Bitten Design and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/bitten-design-bootstrapping Tune in to learn: The investments and skillsets needed to launch a giftware design company  How this design team manages legal restrictions, patents, and wholesale relationships  The balance between personal and professional life for a couple who are life and business partners Music featured in this episode: Lovers Hollow by Blue Dot Sessions Greylock by Blue Dot Sessions Starlight by Chad Crouch Periwinkle by Chad Crouch  

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur who nailed their product-market fit to build a Direct to Consumer luxury brand. Caraa sells handbags, reimagined. The perfect balance of form and function designed for a life in motion. For more on Caraa and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/caraa-partnership   Tune in to learn How they got their first 100 customers How do you know if you have product-market fit? How they determine the pricing of their products 

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur how his toothpaste brand stands out against multi-national brands. Twice is a modern oral healthcare company reimagining the everyday experience of brushing your teeth. For more on Twice and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/twice-cause-driven  Tune in to learn How to work with a charitable partner Do customers care about charitable missions How to make the purchase decision easier for your customers 

In this episode, you’ll learn from two entrepreneurs on how they used their experience from successfully launching one ecommerce store in to quickly launching another business in a completely different industry. Veldskoen Shoes sells ethically and sustainably made shoes from South Africa. For more on Veldskoen Shoes and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/veldskoen-shoes-paid-marketing  Tune in to learnHow to scale ad spend from $1,000 to $30,000 per monthWhat is browse abandonment and why is it important to set up email flows for itWhy recency is the most valuable attribute to know ∫about your customer

In this episode, you'll learn from an entrepreneur who built a shopping app for their brand which ultimately increased their conversion rate. True Vintage is a leading vintage clothing retailer providing global customer base with an eco-friendly approach to fashion.  For more on True Vintage and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/true-vintage-app  Tune in to learn How they grew their Instagram to 30,000 followers in just a few months How they built a shopping app for their store How to scale up a business up to 8,000 SKUs of one-off products 

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur who grows his traffic by 25% every two months through content marketing.  For more on BuddyRest and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/buddyrest-content-marketing  Tune in to learn   What are kaizen principles and how you can apply it to improving your business  How to respond when your target customer says your product is too expensive  Their system for cranking out great content that improves their SEO  

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur who thoroughly validated her idea that led to a $700k Kickstarter CampaignLastSwab is a reusable, sustainable and sanitary alternative to cotton swabs and buds. Replacing at least 1,000 cotton swabs. For more on LastObject and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/lastobject-crowdfunding. Tune in to learnHow to validate your product idea by collecting emailsHow to market towards a sustainability-focused customerHow to determine if your passion is worth pursuing as a business 

In this episode, you'll learn from an entrepreneur how you can scale your business using email, text, and push notificationsEat Well Nashville delivers deliciously healthy, ready-to-eat meals straight to your home or office. For more on Eat Well Nashville and show note: https://www.shopify.com/blog/eat-well-nashville-marketing Tune in to learnWhy you should talk to your potential competitors early onHow to market to customers via text messageWhy they acquired a competitor within their first year of business

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur who started a gift certificate program to help local businesses amid the current Covid-19 pandemicThe Cornwall Gift Certificate Program provides a gift certificate program where shoppers can purchase gift certificates from a slew of local businesses.For more on Cornwall Gift Certificate Program and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/cornwall-gift-certificate-pivotTune in to learn:How a local entrepreneur worked with local government to help businesses stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemicWhat you should be focused on when launching a business on a tight timelineHow to prepare when meeting with local government officials especially when you are seeking their help and resources

In this special episode of Shopify Masters, we visit the office of Velasca, a direct to consumer brand specializing in Italian handcrafted shoes. Co-founder Enrico Casati shares how he left his banking career and launched a direct to consumer brand by connecting local craft-makers in Italy with a global customer base. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting entrepreneurs everywhere, some more than others. Velasca, based in an epicenter of the current outbreak, are working incredibly hard to stay connected with their community virtually and adapt to these uncertain times. This episode was recorded in late 2019, and Velasca’s journey is an impressive one to listen to. Send some love their way virtually by visiting them here. At Shopify, we're quickly building new resources to help independent businesses navigate the current situation. up resources to better help our community, Learn more about our response to COVID-19 here. For more on Velasca and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/velasca-dtcTune in to le

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur who entered a saturated market and differentiated themselves from the mass marketYouth Sport Nutrition is the Developer of PRO-TEEN®, the world's first and only fortified recovery shake for active youths in sport.For more on Youth Sport Nutrition and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/youth-sport-nutrition-conversion Tune in to learnHow they grew from 150 pounds per month to 9,000 pounds per month on adsWhat changes they made to their site to improve their products perceived valueHow to sell a product when the buyer is a parent and the end-user is their child

In this episode, you'll learn from an entrepreneur the mindset required to scale your business to 7-figuresFUSED Hawaii designs timeless, functional swimwear for all body typesat all stages of life, so you feel comfortable, confident, and beautiful in your own skin again. For more on Fused Hawaii and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/fused-hawaii-mindsetTune in to learnHow she was able to finally break through the 7 figure markWhy it’s important not to be too attached to the highs or the lows of entrepreneurshipHow to generate sales from Facebook Lives inside Facebook Groups

In this episode, you'll learn from these two entrepreneurs how purposefully set a work-life balance between your personal life and business.NIU BODY is a female-founded beauty company that creates natural skincare at affordable prices.For more on NIU BODY and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/niu-body-contentTune in to learnWhat to look for in a co-founderHow going full time in their business led to $250,000 in salesWhich social media channel is the best to use to get press

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur who validated her community through a hashtag campaign and then led her towards building her own businessMakeup For Melanin Girls is a direct-to-consumer beauty brand that leverages community feedback to develop cosmetics tailored to multiethnic beauty consumers. For more on MFMG Cosmetics and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/mfmgcosmetics-productsTune in to learnHow to turn a blog in to a businessWhy is a brand book important and what you should include inside your brand bookWhat she did after losing an Instagram account of 100,000 followers

In this episode, you’ll learn from a Chief Growth Officer how to drive growth to a social enterpriseSweet Beginnings makes the beelove® family of all-natural line of raw honey and honey-infused body care products. For more on Sweet Beginnings and show notes: www.shopify.com/blog/sweetbeginnings-growthTune in to learnHow does having an online store affect offline salesHow should Chief Growth Officer spend their timeWhat you get out of one-on-one customer interviews that you can’t get out of surveys