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

In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur on why and how to figure out WHY you are starting your businessSo Worth Loving is a lifestyle company bridging the gap between not talking about self worth and talking about it.Tune in to learnWhy and how to figure out your WHY when starting your businessHow to transition from your full time job to your own businessHow to manage entrepreneurship burnout

What started as a way to keep track of his day to day and combat ADHD, Ryder Carroll’s method of Bullet Journal gained a massive following online as he shared his journaling process. From a published book to a successive product, Ryder shares how his intention of solving a common problem led to a new direction in his life and career. The Bullet Journal is the analog system for the digital age that lets you track the past, organize the present, and plan your future. For more on Bullet Journal, Ryder Carroll, and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/bullet-journal-methodology Tune in to learnHow to showcase how your customers are using your productsWhy you should never be afraid of giving away too much free contentWhy they created a companion app for their products

Brothers Nadim and Rami Yahia grew up mixing together condiments and hot sauces to create their own concoctions. They turned this habitual sauce mixing into CustomHeats, a hot sauce business that allows customers to create their own sauces and labels by bridging the food industry with tech and data. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you’ll hear from Nadim Yahia of CustomHeats on marketing with a low budget, developing hardware, and how their $100 bottle of hot sauce went viral. For more on CustomHeats and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blogcustomheats-viralTune in to learnThe challenges with creating a business that allows customers to fully customize their productHow to use a $100 marketing budget to get on big publicationsHow they used their Instagram content to validate their market 

David Dennis was showing some of his photography for a fundraiser when he discovered the complexities of ocean conservation and how surfboards can be made more sustainably. Together with partner Martijn Stiphout, David runs Ventana Surfboards, maker of boards handcrafted from upcycled and reclaimed material. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you’ll hear how David Dennis balances his career at Microsoft while running Ventana Surfboards, the key components of running an impactful sustainable business, and how Instagram drives most of their sales. For more on Ventana Surfboards and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/ventanasurfboards-instagramTune in to learnHow to talk about your brand at a fair or trade showHow to collaborate with artists to turn their audience in to your customersHow they sold a $15,000 surfboard from a post on Instagram

In partnership with the late model and makeup artist Cindy Joseph, Ezra Firestone helped to build BOOM by Cindy Joseph, an age-positive cosmetic line for women of every generation. As an ecommerce growth expert, Ezra has been known to share insights on building brands that resonate with consumers and stand the test of time. In this episode of Shopify Masters, Ezra Firestone shares his life and business journey and the most important lessons he’s learned along the way. For more on BOOM by Cindy Joseph,  Ezra  Firestone, and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/boombycindyjoseph-brandTune in to learnWhat is the love, demo, love video and why is it such an effective marketing toolWhy you should not drive your traffic straight to a product page and where to drive it to insteadWhere to reinvest in your brand and company

Emma Cohen’s time in Thailand exposed her to the effects that single-use plastics had on the ocean. She spent most of her days there cleaning up the washed-up plastic waste on beaches. Emma was so moved by this experience that she returned to school and completed a Master’s in environmental management and sustainability from Harvard. After working for over five years in sustainability research, Emma poured herself into developing a collapsible and portable stainless steel straw and launched FinalStraw in 2017.For more on FinalStraw and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/finalstraw-causeTune in to learnHow you can use Amazon reviews to create a superior productWhat’s the best use of your time when preparing for a crowdfunding campaignHow to balance marketing your cause versus marketing your product

When Gamal Codner left corporate America he began to grow out his beard. What started as a symbolic lifestyle change to signify the start of his entrepreneurial journey sparked a new business idea. As his beard got longer, Gamal noticed how there were no grooming products designed for men of color and launched Fresh Heritage to address this unmet need in the market. For more on Fresh Heritage and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/fresh-heritage-validateTune in to learnWhy it’s important to invest in your educationWhy you do not need the best product, you just need to be differentHow to network with successful brands and get them to give you advice

The scent of a specialty soap from her honeymoon stayed with Danielle Vincent as she went back to work and each time she would smell it, she was transported back to those happy memories. This sensory experience prompted her to launch Outlaw Soaps with her husband Russ. Together, the couple created soaps that would smell like campfire, whiskey, and leather to meet the niche of specialty scents. In this episode of Shopify Masters, we’ll hear from Danielle Vincent of Outlaw Soaps on how they navigated production and why feedback from customers are crucial. For more on Outlaw Soaps and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/outlawsoaps-salesTune In To LearnWhat metric led them to 600% GrowthWhy content marketing and SEO are still worth it even though they take longer for resultsThe emails they sent to turn customers in to repeat buyers

Roller derby wasn’t just a workout for Micki Krimmel, it offered a sense of empowerment and community. The sport inspired Micki to start Superfit Hero, an inclusive and body-positive apparel line to make everyone feel welcomed in the fitness world. In this episode of Shopify Masters, Micki Krimmel of Superfit Hero shares her approach to building a community, how she shares inspiring and inclusive stories, and what has helped her to grow her business.For more on Superfit Hero and show notes:  https://www.shopify.ca/blog/superfithero-storytellingTune in to learnWhy they decided to start selling fitness apparel in the roller derby nicheHow non-product focused content turns prospects into customersWhy it’s important to release more products

Cars fascinated Chris Carey, so much so that he left his full-time job to start Modern Automotive Performance, a business focused on manufacturing and selling automotive performance products. Initially starting with a physical and service location, Modern Automotive Performance expanded to selling products online and grew to generate over $27 million in annual revenue.In today’s episode of Shopify Masters, Chris Carey shares how they moved past stagnant sales, which resources changed his way of thinking, and why they closed down their original service business to focus on ecommerce.For more on Modern Automotive Performance and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/maperformance-scaleTune in to learnHow to use forums to get your first customersThe key to great customer service that will give you organic growthWhat is an Entrepreneurial Operating System

Known as a biohacker and lifestyle guru, Dave Asprey has gained a notable reputation within the health and wellness space. With a bold claim of aiming to live until 180 years old and having published five books on his diet and lifestyle approaches, it was no surprise that Dave decided to launch his own line of nutrition products.Under the brand name Bulletproof, consumers can include coffee, proteins, and supplements that Dave personally uses into their routines. Despite Dave’s reputation, building a notable brand within the consumer packaged goods space takes a village and scaling it is no easy feat.In this episode of Shopify Masters, you’ll hear from Karen Huh, the VP of Product Management and Strategy and Bulletproof. Karen grew her team from one direct report into three teams of five to six employees, and she looks after everything from research and development to creatives.For more from Bulletproof and the show notes: www.shopify.com/blog/ bulletproof-brandingTune in to LearnHow to get clarity on your br

Josh Elizetxe has been a serial entrepreneur ever since he was a teenager. Having a knack for building websites, SEO, and managing ad dollars, Josh managed sites for an array of businesses when he was still in school. Despite the early success, it wasn't until Josh befriended his dentists through multiple braces treatments and jaw surgery that he found his calling. Josh was intrigued by the dental industry and invested his own savings to research an at-home whitening system to disrupt the stagnant market by starting Snow Teeth Whitening. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Josh Elizetxe of Snow on how he found his interest within the dental industry and why it's important to pace yourself in the entrepreneurship journey. For more on Josh Elizetxe, Snow, and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/snow-market-disruptionTune in to learnHow they’ve stepped up influencer marketing to work with celebritiesWhy he invested millions of dollars of his own money into his companyWhy all his retail

Three Nashville proud friends, Sam Davidson, Stephen Moseley, and Rob Williams, had the idea to start Batch, a gift company curating items made by artisans from their beloved city.   Initially starting off selling subscription boxes in 2013, Batch switched gears to be a gift company and grew to have its own retail space while generating $1.8 million in sales annually.  In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Sam Davidson of Batch on how they validated the concept, work with local makers, and switched their business focus. For more on Batch and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/batch-growthTune in to learnHow they used a landing page to validate their business ideaThe customer feedback the convinced them to open a physical retail storeThe most important questions you should ask your existing customers 

Justin Clark is a serial entrepreneur who loves to launch new products and build brands. In 2017 Justin and his friends decided to give male rompers a chance and launched the company Romperjack. From ideation to production to marketing, Romperjack went from an idea to a physical product within 60 days.In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Justin Clark of Romperjack on how he validate product-market fit, work with manufacturers, and move from a viral brand to an everyday brand. For more on Justin Clark, Romperjack, and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/romperjack-viral-product Tune in to learnHow to go from viral idea to a live product in 60 daysThe lifespan of a viral productWhat it means to focus on your brand instead of your products 

Krista Woods was trying to get rid of the odor from her son's sports gear and discovered the smell was caused by bacteria growth. After testing home remedies that were chemical-free Krista started GloveStix to sell her deodorizer for athletic gear.Going from mom to business owner, Krista stepped out of her comfort zone to pitch to national TV programs like the Today Show and Shark Tank.In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Krista Woods of GloveStix on how she created a physical product, sold during live events, and pitch on national TV programs.For more on GloveStix and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/glovestix-tvTune in to learnHow to use your Facebook friends to launch your business fasterWhy it’s important to know how much you’re willing to lose when starting abusinessHow this entrepreneur prepared to pitch on QVC in less than 24 hours

Bili Balogun always loved beauty and experimenting with new products, so much so that she started her own beauty subscription box months after graduating from college in 2017. Bootstrapping with only $200, Bili launched Tribe Beauty Box and grew the business to over $300,000 in sales in 16 months.   In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Bili Balogun of Tribe Beauty Box on how to collaborate with brands, build relationships with subscribers, and launch a business through other Facebook groups. For more about Tribe Beauty Box and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/tribe-beauty-boxTune in to learnWhat it means to use your disadvantages as your advantagesHow do you know when to move from research and planning phase to executionHow they tripled their Facebook group numbers with a giveaway

Before the historic NBA championship win by the Toronto Raptors in 2019, the team made it to the playoffs in 2014 and launched Yanal Dhailieh into the perfect moment to start his lifestyle and community brand, Peace Collective. By wearing a "Toronto vs. Everybody" t-shirt to a Raptors playoffs game and getting featured in a TSN documentary, Yanal turned that moment into an apparel brand that generates millions in revenue annually and two retail stores. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Yanal Dhailieh of Peace Collective on how to build a community, grow from viral moments, and create your own virality. For more on Peace Collective, Yanal Dhailieh, and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/peace-collective-viral Tune in to learn How to create a viral moment How to educate your customers on your cause Why storytelling is your biggest advantage over bigger companies and how to do it

Sali Christeson quit a corporate job to pursue the dream of building a fashion brand for ambitious women to look and feel good while breaking barriers. Counterintuitive to most tips for entrepreneurs, Sali credits her MBA for building her well-rounded set of skills. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Sali Christeson of ARGENT on how to build a fashion brand from the ground up. For more on Sali Christeson, ARGENT, and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/argent-mba Tune in to learn Why you might want to get an MBA before starting your business What is a brand book and what needs to go in a brand book How do you measure that you are making progress with building your brand

During a golf tournament, Jeremiah Curvers was injured and got a double herniated disk. Bedridden for three months, Jeremiah got to think a lot about mattresses and what he wanted to see in his ideal mattress. Motivated by his research, Jeremiah launched Polysleep to create a direct consumer sleep brand that offers better rest while making a social and environmental impact. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Jeremiah Curvers of Polysleep on how to partner suppliers and physical stores. For more on Polysleep and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/polysleep-partnership Tune in to Learn How to partner with physical stores to showcase your product Their tricky pre-Black Friday email that sold out all of their Black Friday products How to create high converting content with your affiliates

While working at a desk job, Ryan Popoff took on leatherwork as a creative outlet. Initially making a minimalistic wallet for himself, Ryan's wife Jill, encouraged him to sell what he made online. Ryan then launched Popov Leather and grew the business from a basement rental to earn seven figures annually while supporting 12 full-time employees. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Ryan Popoff of Popov Leather on how to take outstanding product photos and how he works with micro-influencers. For more information on Popov Leather and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/popov-leather-influencer Tune in to learn The key components for product photos that lead to conversions The most important question to as in a post-purchase survey Which channel for micro-influencer marketing to focus on and why