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

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

Mel Wells was inspired by her roommate's desire for a 1920s styled swimsuit to start Beefcake Swimwear. Initially sewing pieces herself, Mel then took the time to research and find sustainable fabrics and an ethical American manufacturer. Taking two years before launching, Beefcake Swimwear is a true reflection of Mel's dedication to thoughtfully produce androgynous vintage-inspired swimwear. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Mel Wells of Beefcake Swimwear on why it's important to grow at your own pace and how to create a brand that authentically reflects who you are. For more information on Beefcake Swimwear and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/beefcake-swimwear-time Tune in to learn How you can still succeed in business when you’re not a risk-taker What to do if you’re an entrepreneur that likes starting businesses but tend to jump around Why hiring a PR agency is a worthwhile investment

Remi Silva and Alondra Carbajal were vacationing in Japan when inspiration hit. While most visitors to Tokyo are busy seeing sites and indulging in the local delicacies, Remi was mesmerized by the wide selection of stickers and wondered why the U.S. lacked behind. Once back home, the couple put the idea into action and started Blank Tag Co. and has built the stickers company to a multi six-figure business while still having day jobs. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Remi Silva of Blank Tag Co. on how he as automated his business and why keeping his day job helps his business. For more information on Black Tag Co. and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/blank-tag-co-automation Tune in to learn How processes remove motivation from the equation Why you should not start with Facebook Ads first and where you should start instead What you should test tweak within your first ads

Stacia Guzzo's mother's breast cancer diagnoses got her into researching the possible causes. The discovery of aluminum's possible link to cancer motivated Stacia to make her own natural beauty products. Stacia found her niche with aluminum-free deodorant and started SmartyPits. From a hobby beekeeper who made lip balms, Stacia honed in on her specialty and scaled her business to seven-figures. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll hear from Stacia Guzzo of SmartPits on how she found her niche and the decisions she had to make to scale her business. For more information on Stacia Guzzo, SmartyPits, and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/smartypits-scale Tune in to learn What is story-based marketing and why it’s so effective How to identify whether an idea is great or awful How do you know if you’ve gone niche enough

Colin Macintosh turned the end of a tech startup career into a new beginning for building his own brand. Built on a cheeky pun, Sheets & Giggles grew from a simple business model of offering sustainable and comfortable bedding directly to consumers into a brand that's projecting $2.4 million in sales this year. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll learn from Colin Macintosh of Sheets & Giggles on how he builds a successful crowdfunding campaign and found his niche with eucalyptus lyocell sheets. For more information on Colin Macintosh, Sheets & Giggles, and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/sheets-and-giggles-business-model Tune in to learn The business model you should follow to improve your chances of success How they created an 11,000 subscriber email list before launching Why a completely unrelated Reddit post drives them traffic and sales

Nat Elison decided to test out his content marketing skills from running his own marketing agency by launching his own blog. As a longtime tea lover, Nat started Cup & Leaf to blog about all things tea. He publishes on a consistent schedule, reworks content to rank higher on search, and curates products for the online store. Since the launch of Cup & Leaf in early 2018, the website now sees 250,000 monthly visitors and brings in $5000 in monthly revenue. For more information on Nat Elison, Cup and Leaf, and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/cup-and-leaf-blog Tune in to learn When you should actually spend time on content marketing and SEO The content plan they used to grow to 250,000 monthly visitors How they drive sales from blog to physical store

Shopping for some pricy speakers got Andrew Lissimore looking into buying them directly from the manufacturer. After scoring a pricing sheet, Andrew realized there's a healthy margin and an opportunity to sell online. When his first sale came in a few weeks later, Andrew knew he was onto something. To learn more about Headphones.com and shownotes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/headphones-domain Tune in to learn: Why you don’t need to see the entire path towards your goals to get started How they created a forum and use it to increase traffic and sales How they were able to get a million dollar domain like Headphones.com without paying a million dollars

While most people enjoy a few rounds of golf on the weekend, Tyler Sullivan became obsessed with the game and wanted to achieve the longest drive. Along the way, Tyler got custom clubs and drivers made that ended breaking so he started to make his own. Realizing that others might face the same frustration, Tyler started BombTech Golf and began selling the clubs and divers he made. For more information on BombTech Golf, Tyler, and shownotes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/bombtech-golf-personal-messages Tune in to learn How to get your customers to converse with you over email How to hire the best Facebook ad experts How to create an irresistible offer when customers visit your page

Being the dog owner of a Saint Bernard named Harley, Tyson Walters was constantly on cleaning duty and barely kept up with Harley's shedding. Realizing that he's not alone, Tyson came up with the idea of Shed Defender and started prototyping breathable onesies for dogs to reduce shedding cleanups. After going viral, testing out infomercials, and being on Shark Tank, Tyson shares the lessons learned along the way. To learn more about Tyson, Shred Defender, and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/shed-defender-use-case Tune in to learn How to educate your customers so they’re confident to make a purchase What happened when The Shred Defender got featured on a viral website like The Dodo The results from doing an As Seen On TV commercial

Dylan Jacob grew up running his own businesses and knew early on when to change course and adapt. Ever since high school Dylan grew a small phone repairs business into a parts manufacturing company and later founded a company that offered the largest color selection of tiles in the United States. Despite reaching financial success, Dylan always viewed these ventures as "buffer businesses" and only found his true calling when he dove deep into solving the common problem of how to keep drinks cold. To learn more about Dylan, BrüMate, and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/brumate-pivot Tune in to learn Do you really need to fly to China to meet with manufacturers Why Facebook might drive low-quality leads and how to improve the quality of your leads When to pivot your business and what happens when you do