The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Description

NEW EPISODES EVERY TUESDAY, SUBSCRIBE FOR UNBEATABLE ECOM RECON – Every Tuesday since 2014, host Kurt Elster shares the Shopify success stories that nobody tells you about, straight from the entrepreneurs living it. Subscribe for a raw look at what it really takes to succeed on Shopify.

Episodes

2025 / 3 / 25

Lady Gaga’s on Shopify: Go Behind the Build

Lady Gaga has a new Shopify site. But this isn’t just a merch store. It’s a stage, a story, a digital home—built to evolve as fast as she does.Her team needed something different. A site that could change...

Download
2025 / 3 / 18

The Store That Won March Madness

Megan Smalley didn’t plan to build a powerhouse ecommerce brand. Scarlet & Gold started as a creative side project—until she got laid off.Fast forward 12 years, and Scarlet & Gold is one of the only...

Download
2025 / 3 / 11

10 Shopify Mistakes Killing Your Sales

Are you making one of these Shopify mistakes? If so, you’re losing sales. In this episode, The Unofficial Shopify Podcast host Kurt Elster teams up with Bold Commerce co-founder Jay Myers to reveal the top 10...

Download
2025 / 3 / 4

Fart-Proof Underwear? This Shopify Brand Says Yes

Imagine a world where your worst gas-related fears simply… disappear. No awkward moments, no subtle side-eye glances. Just peace, dignity, and activated carbon filters.That’s the world Collin White and his...

Download
2025 / 2 / 25

Obvi’s Ron Shah on Fails, Exits & Lessons Learned

"You start with ‘there’s no way this is me.’ Then you question everything. Then, eventually, you realize—this really could be me."Ron Shah built Obvi into a $100M+ powerhouse, with $40M in top-line revenue in...

Download
2025 / 2 / 18

How a Twitter Account Became a Thriving Shopify Brand

“Rainier Watch started as me shouting into the void about whether the mountain was out. Now, it’s a brand in REI. Didn’t see that coming.”David Lindahl started Rainier Watch as a simple Twitter account—just a...

Download
2025 / 2 / 11

Reinventing Oral Care: The Slate Flosser Story

In this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Brynn Snyder, co-founder of Slate Flosser, shares how she and her dentist husband tackled one of the most overlooked aspects of health—flossing. Together,...

Download
2025 / 2 / 4

Building Frizz + Co: Haircare, Shopify, and Community

Building Frizz + Co: Haircare, Shopify, and CommunityDaphné Eastmond ditched the CPA grind to create Frizz + Co, a brand that says screw the stigma and celebrates textured hair. From her raw startup struggles...

Download
2025 / 1 / 28

Why Shopify’s Planet App is Good for Business (and the Earth)

“Why not try it? Planet is low-risk, easy to configure, and can have a meaningful impact on your brand and the planet.”Discover how Shopify Planet helps merchants make a positive environmental impact while...

Download
2025 / 1 / 21

Montana Knife Company: American-Made Knife Empire

What if your side hustle turned into an 8-figure brand selling out every week?Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DxGxZ20rfQIMontana Knife Company’s Brandon Horoho shares the journey from launching during COVID...

Download
2025 / 1 / 14

Growing a Supps Brand to $70M in 2.5 Years

Devyn Merklin, former CMO of Livingood Daily, shares the raw truth behind scaling a supplement brand to $70M in annual revenue. From relentless testing to mastering Shopify funnels, Devyn provides a...

Download
2025 / 1 / 7

Avoiding CRO myths

“Look, if you redesign your grocery store and I can’t find the chicken or checkout clerk I like, I’m shopping somewhere else.”How do you turn clicks into customers without falling for CRO myths? Oliver...

Download
2024 / 12 / 31

How This Athlete Built a $10M Sock Brand

"I wanted to create a product that could be the yoga pant for the foot."Rob Fraser, former pro cyclist and the founder of Outway, believes socks should do more than cover your feet. Drawing from his...

Download
2024 / 12 / 24

Why Mizzen+Main’s $100M Founder Left to Build a Baby Monitor

Kevin Lavelle’s got a knack for big ideas and starting fresh. First, he took on menswear with Mizzen+Main, bringing performance fabric to dress shirts and making them a hit with pro athletes and office rebels...

Download
2024 / 12 / 17

Turning Scratched Lenses into 8 Figures

“We’re doing about 1,500 pairs a day… we’re gonna hit eight figures this year, probably next year for sure.”You know that favorite pair of sunglasses you can’t throw away? Brandon Dill turned that frustration...

Download
2024 / 12 / 11

Shopify’s New Customer Accounts

Tired of logging into five different portals just to make a return? Shopify says enough. Patrick Millegan joins Kurt Elster to talk about the new customer account extensions, designed to simplify logins,...

Download
2024 / 12 / 10

Smart Marketer Live Recap

Mindset, AI, and ghost hunting— Smart Marketer Live wasn’t your typical marketing event. We break down the big ideas that got us thinking (and laughing) in Denver. You'll get an inside look at the conference,...

Download
2024 / 12 / 3

Building a Successful Shopify App & Community

Harshdeep Singh Hura didn’t just stumble into the Shopify partner community—he helped build it. In this episode, we meet the first-ever recipient of the Shopify Community Award, whose open-source projects now...

Download
2024 / 11 / 26

10,000 UX Audits Later: How Oddit Boosts Shopify Sales (Without Data or Meetings)

What if you could boost your Shopify sales without relying on data or endless meetings? Oddit's unconventional approach has turned heads—stripping away feedback loops, simplifying designs, and focusing on...

Download
2024 / 11 / 19

From $800K to $26M: Depesh Mandalia’s Facebook Ads Story

“It’s truly magic. That’s the word I use internally to describe what we’re doing here.”What if you could turn $800K into $26 million in just 18 months—using nothing but Facebook ads? That’s exactly what...

Download
2024 / 11 / 12

The Black Friday Email Guide for Real-World Brands

“Honestly, I think my best customers don’t even look at the discounts. They get the email, see the new pants, and just say, ‘I want them.’”Black Friday: the annual marketing frenzy brands prep for all year....

Download
2024 / 11 / 5

How Downpay Solves Payment Challenges | The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

"I can't stop talking about partial payment, apparently." – Diana BirsanCo-founder of Downpay and former Shopify Product Manager, Diana Birsan, joins us to break down how she built Downpay, the app that lets...

Download
2024 / 10 / 29

How Shopify Built a Financial Hub to Empower Entrepreneurs

“It’s truly magic. That’s the word I use internally to describe what we’re doing here.”We chat with Vikram Anreddy, Head of Product for Finance at Shopify, about how Shopify is making money management way...

Download
2024 / 10 / 22

TikTok Shop Made This Stationary Store Go Viral

“Most brands just send out samples and then it’s done. We go the extra mile that 99% of brands do not do.”Building a multi-million dollar business typically involves more than wedding invitations and viral...

Download
2024 / 10 / 15

PR Strategy for Shopify Stores

“PR is the highest leverage activity, and we’re not taught that because it’s easier to just create a reel and hope it goes viral.”In this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, we meet Gloria Chou, a PR...

Download
2024 / 10 / 8

SHOP CAMPAIGNS: Deep Dive

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/djnSFyBsB7MWe explore Shopify’s latest updates to simplify customer acquisition through its Shop Campaigns tool.Host Kurt Elster talks with Shopify's Andrius...

Download
2024 / 10 / 1

Meet $100M+ Chubbies Co-Founder Kyle Hency

“I’m a builder. I want to be building a team, building an exceptional product, and competing every day.”Kyle Hency had a simple goal: create a brand that speaks authentically to men like him. What started as...

Download
2024 / 9 / 24

Top Pickleball Creator's Video Content Strategy

"Our number one best-selling product… it’s called the Dink Master."Enhance Pickleball's Connor Hance shares his incredible journey from college tennis player to the leading content creator and entrepreneur in...

Download
2024 / 9 / 17

How a Reddit Post Led to a $5M Skincare Brand

Hear how Austin Beals hacked his way out of a chronic skin condition to create Dermazen, a skincare brand that’s bringing in $5 million a year. No investors, no BS— just one man’s obsessive quest to relieve...

Download
2024 / 9 / 10

Inside the Shadowy World of Returns Fraud

Tackle the increasingly troubling issue of returns fraud in the e-commerce world. As return fraud rises, this once-overlooked issue is now a major concern for online retailers. You'll learn how fraudsters are...

Download
2024 / 9 / 3

Boost Conversions with Build Grow Scale’s CRO Tips

“Most Shopify themes are built by developers to create an online store catalog, not a converting funnel.”In this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Kurt Elster talks with Matthew Stafford, the CEO of...

Download
2024 / 8 / 27

Goodsellas: Why Movie Spoof Ads are Total Genius

Step into the rebellious side of marketing with this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast. Molly Pittman from Smart Marketer joins to rip up the rulebook on conventional advertising. We dive into the...

Download
2024 / 8 / 20

Insider Tips on Buying & Selling Shopify Stores

"Buying a business is so much faster than building one and so much safer if you buy big enough."Also on YouTube: youtu.be/BuDtoDsC4tAGet the inside scoop on buying and selling Shopify stores from Gregory...

Download
2024 / 8 / 13

Inside Shopify’s Major Checkout Upgrade

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fIDw3fvPPgIUnpack the intricacies of Shopify's Checkout Extensibility— a feature poised to revolutionize online commerce.Michael Elmgreen, Shopify's Product Director,...

Download
2024 / 8 / 6

Building a Sustainable Activewear Brand from Scratch

Reprise Activewear founder Mary Bemis takes us through her incredible journey from launching a Kickstarter campaign to building a sustainable activewear brand that has caught the attention of Self Magazine...

Download
2024 / 7 / 30

The Declining Churn Fallacy

Get ready for a deep dive into what really makes customers stick around or peace out. Professor Daniel McCarthy unravels the myths around churn rates and why a low number isn't always a high-five moment for...

Download
2024 / 7 / 23

How Dapper Boi is Smashing Fashion's Gender Limits

Vicky Pasche, a Shark Tank alum and co-founder of Dapper Boi, reveals how a personal quest for authenticity led to the creation of a groundbreaking apparel line.Dapper Boi's innovative apparel line challenges...

Download
2024 / 7 / 16

Unlocking Shopify Flow

Unlocking Shopify Flow: Automation Insights with Paul Nuschke & Matti PihlainenIn this bonus episode we dive deep into the world of Shopify Flow with two remarkable guests. Paul Nuschke, the Senior Product...

Download
2024 / 7 / 12

Chalet Nursery’s Shopify POS Implementation

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DcptOEqEACwJoin Kurt Elster, host of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, as he sits down with Lawson Thalmann, CTO of Chalet Nursery, to discuss how they’ve transformed their...

Download
2024 / 7 / 9

Mastering Shopify App Development

Sit down with the insightful Mat De Sousa, a trailblazing Shopify app developer whose creations, Wide Bundle and Wide Review, have generated enviable annual recurring revenues. His story is a testament to the...

Download
2024 / 7 / 5

Shopify Magic Media Editor

Mary Bemis, the founder of Reprise Activewear, shares her experience using Shopify’s Magic Media Editor and its AI features.Guest Background: Mary Bemis founded Reprise Activewear six years ago, starting with...

Download
2024 / 7 / 2

Editions.dev 2024 Trip Report

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mi3iKmZBxREWe’ve got all the highlights from the Shopify Editions.dev conference in Toronto. With exclusive insights from Harley Finkelstein, Shopify's president,...

Download
2024 / 6 / 25

Is Faire is a Must-Have for Wholesale?

"Faire really helps us connect and buy wholesale merchandise, and it's cheaper than trade shows."Discover how 'FAIRE really helps us connect and buy wholesale merchandise,' as Emily Grey of Flourish Market...

Download
2024 / 6 / 18

Affiliate Marketing's New Content Code

Get the inside scoop on how to revolutionize your affiliate content game. It's not just about what you say, but how you say it. Dive into the strategies that are setting today's affiliate marketers apart from...

Download
2024 / 6 / 11

Slumberkins: From Craft Fairs to Shark Tank

Also available with video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/-qxIqPtAYhEJoin us as we explore the journey of Kelly Oriard and Kaylee Christensen, founders of Slumberkins, an emotional wellness brand dedicated to...

Download
2024 / 6 / 4

Shopify & SEO Tactics

Join us with SEO expert Jason Berkowitz as we dissect e-commerce SEO. We're cutting through the noise of AI content and zeroing in on standout strategies. It's all about making your site visible online,...

Download
2024 / 5 / 28

Buying Over Building a Business

"It's just a hell of a lot easier to optimize a business than to start something from scratch."Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tbVh1J1sOEQDrew Sanocki has a knack for transforming struggling...

Download
2024 / 5 / 21

Katanas, Candy, & a Billion Views

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DFUi5Cq8YuoWe're slicing deep into the world of e-commerce with Isaac Medeiros, the man behind MiniKatana and Kanpai Foods. After using TikTok to sell out of his...

Download
2024 / 5 / 14

Glam-Aholic: From Blog to $50M Fashion Brand

Detroit's Mia Ray took her passion for fashion from a blog to a $50M Glam-aholic empireWatch: https://youtu.be/OqGQTRpjuJQFrom her roots in Detroit, Mia dishes on turning a passion for fashion into a...

Download
2024 / 5 / 7

The Business of Star Wars Nostalgia

Could you turn your geeky hobby into a thriving business?In this week’s episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, we follow Mike Freeman, the mastermind behind Fourth Moon Toys, as he shares his...

Download
2024 / 4 / 30

Chatbots Aren't Dead: How AI Is Selling Backpacks

We're talking AI chatbots as a top of funnel marketing medium with Recycled Firefighter founder Jake Starr. Jake spills the tea on turning his unique products (recycled firehose American flags!) into a...

Download
2024 / 4 / 23

Streamlining SEO on Shopify

Did you know over 60% of online experiences start with a search engine? In e-commerce, visibility in these search results is crucial for success.This episode dives into SEO Tools & Tactics for Shopify....

Download
2024 / 4 / 16

Quiz Funnel Strategies

What if the simple act of asking your customers the right questions could transform your e-commerce store? From segmenting audiences to personalizing product recommendations, guest Chanti Zak shows how...

Download
2024 / 4 / 9

Cashflow Tips from an Ecom CFO

"The financially sound & successful e-commerce businesses are lean as long as they can be. They keep costs down and are just careful." – Matt Putra Unlock the secrets to a more secure financial future with...

Download
2024 / 4 / 2

From Code to Craft: Rustic & Main's Rise

When Mike Yarbrough swapped his software development hat for a craftsman's apron to manage carpal tunnel syndrome, he didn't just mend his physical ailments—he forged a new path as an entrepreneur. Rustic &...

Download
2024 / 3 / 26

How Chubbies Built a Menswear Movement

"We were the luckiest people in the world to be able to do this stuff."Full Video Interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fEUf9MTXk4cThis week, I'm joined by Preston Rutherford, co-founder of the Chubbies...

Download
2024 / 3 / 19

eCommerceFuel Live 2024

In this episode, we're heading to the vibrant and bustling eCommerceFuel Live 2024 in New Orleans. Join me, Kurt Elster, for raw, unscripted conversations with some of the biggest names in eCommerce. Get...

Download
2024 / 3 / 12

Insights for European eCommerce Success

Listen in as we tackle the intricate world of e-commerce internationalization, with a particular focus on the contrasting landscapes between North America and Europe. I'm joined by David Simoas, an expert in...

Download
2024 / 3 / 5

Troop's Mushroom Supplement Success

When the world turned upside down, Jake Mellman and Stephanie Moyal found resilience in an unexpected place: the humble mushroom. Their spirited discussion with us captures the essence of their company,...

Download
2024 / 2 / 27

Let's Sell Some Trucker Hats

We take on the challenge of revamping a trucker hat Shopify store from the ground up. Our team member and e-commerce maven, Jessie Goodell, brings her real-world experience managing her ecom brand for outdoor...

Download
2024 / 2 / 20

Shopify Themes: Selection & Insider Tips

A Shopify theme is not just about making your store look good... it's the backbone of your customer's shopping experience. There is a lot of functionality baked into it, and as a result, your bottom line may...

Download
2024 / 2 / 13

Sharma's Success Secrets

Nik Sharma, the brains behind Sharma Brands, has gone from freelance hotshot to the head honcho of a major digital agency that's a big deal in the CPG world. Nik walks us through how Sharma Brands evolved,...

Download
2024 / 2 / 6

Shopify Editions Winter '24

Join Kurt Elster and a panel of Shopify experts as they delve into the Shopify Editions Winter '24 announcements. Our panelists, including Kim Samuelsen, Jay Larson, and John Festa, break down the latest...

Download
2024 / 1 / 30

Google Ads Strategies for Shopify

Listen in as Menachem Ani, a Google Ads expert with two decades of experience, joins to explore Google Ads and the current best practices for Shopify merchants seeking to amplify their e-commerce growth....

Download
2024 / 1 / 23

From Festival Romance to $5M Fashion Brand

Sit down with Donal Breslin from Nomad the Label. This isn't your run-of-the-mill fashion brand story. Picture this: a music festival romance turns into a full-blown e-commerce venture. Donal and his partner...

Download
2024 / 1 / 16

Creating Ads that Connect in the Attention Economy

In this episode, we're getting real with Jacques Spitzer, the advertising guru from Raindrop Agency. He's here to break down how storytelling in ads can do more than just catch your eye – it can open wallets....

Download
2024 / 1 / 9

How a Firefighter Mastered Marketing

Johnny Hickey, former New York firefighter turned digital marketer, tells us what he's learned jumping into ecommerce in 2018 and learning on the job.He gives us the lowdown on the essentials – focus on user...

Download
2024 / 1 / 2

Optimizing Shopify Themes: Redesign or Just Refine?

As we approach 2024, the mantra for every Shopify store owner should be 'Build Better, Grow Faster'. But how do you turn this mantra into reality?Today, we're zeroing in on the theme 'Build a Better Store for...

Download
2023 / 12 / 26

Post-Holiday Profit Strategies

Many e-commerce ventures hit a sales dry spell right after the holiday cheers fade. But what if Q1 could be more than just a slump?In today's episode, we're turning conventional wisdom on its head, exploring...

Download
2023 / 12 / 19

Scaling Skincare: Bushbalm's Rise

In this Unofficial Shopify Podcast episode, we sit down with David Gaylord, the mastermind behind Bushbalm Skincare. From his Shopify days to leading a skincare revolution, David reveals the art of growing a...

Download
2023 / 12 / 12

Breaking Down a Black Friday Blowout

Today we're dissecting a Black Friday bonanza. Join us as Sean Reyes of Shock Surplus, a previous guest and a Shopify Plus success story, takes us behind the scenes of their record-breaking Black Friday. With...

Download
2023 / 12 / 5

Inside 2023's Black Friday Surge

Black Friday 2023 wasn't just big – it was record-breaking, with Shopify merchants alone pulling in a whopping $4.1 billion in sales.Dive deep into the Black Friday frenzy, dissecting the data and sharing...

Download
2023 / 11 / 28

Dropshipping $30M in Auto Parts

Imagine scaling a business from $3 million to $30 million in a vertical that's as competitive as it gets. Today's episode is a deep dive into the world of dropshipping automotive parts—a tale of triumph that...

Download
2023 / 11 / 21

The Analog Film Entrepreneur

We sit down with Paul McKay, the man behind Analogue Wonderland, who's turning back the clock on photography while keeping his feet firmly in the present. He left a decade-long corporate gig to dive into...

Download
2023 / 11 / 14

Gas Monkey's Sweepstakes Strategy

Today's guest is Craig Martens from Gas Monkey Garage, and we're peeling back the layers on the art of sweepstakes marketing. Craig shares the blueprint for running these promotions legally and their...

Download
2023 / 11 / 7

Riding Vinyl's Revival

We're diving deep into the vinyl revival with Mark Poppen, the man behind Funky Moose Records. If you've ever wondered why vinyl records are outselling CDs or how to make a dent in the eCommerce world, this...

Download
2023 / 10 / 31

From Shopify to Store Owner

Imagine spending eight years shaping products inside Shopify's hallowed halls, only to step out and run your own store. That's Daniel Patricio's story. He left Shopify start his own store, Bull and Cleaver....

Download
2023 / 10 / 24

News, Q&A, & Pro Tips

New episode this week and its a fun one. Listener-favorite Paul Reda is back in the co-host chair, always spicy. We’re kicking off with some fresh-off-the-press news and updates in the Shopify world. Then,...

Download
2023 / 10 / 17

Product Pre-Launch Planning

In this episode, Kurt Elster sits down with Vance, a crowdfunding expert, to explore the strategies behind successful Kickstarter campaigns. From understanding your target audience to refining your product...

Download
2023 / 10 / 10

Q4 Holiday Promo Playbook

As the year winds down, pumpkin spice aromas fill the air and holiday sales are everywhere. So, how do companies make the most of this bustling season? Molly Pittman, CEO of SmartMarketer, joins us to unravel...

Download
2023 / 10 / 3

The Email Automation Blueprint

What makes a store more than a marketplace but a community? The answer might be sitting in your inbox. With insights from Laura Palladino, we explore how the right email strategy can turn one-time buyers into...

Download
2023 / 9 / 26

The Candy Hackers

Today, we step into the world of Adama Nesil, the creator of Candy Hackers. In a landscape dominated by sugary, processed treats, Adama has managed to carve a niche with gluten-free and dairy-free candies....

Download
2023 / 9 / 12

Decoding Effective PPC Ads

Jessie Healy Spent $20 Million on Digital ads, Here's What's Working In 2023Sit down with Jessie Healy, a digital advertising veteran with a focus on e-commerce. Jessie, whose agency oversees $20 million in...

Download
2023 / 9 / 5

Salty Britches

In today's episode, we meet Amy Tucker, the founder of Salty Britches, a skin care line. Amy begins her journey with a straightforward aim: to make her son's ocean trips enjoyable and chafe-free. As we follow...

Download
2023 / 8 / 29

Profit, Contribution Margin, & Growth

What's behind the profit margin? Kurt Elster and Thomas Gleeson take a reflective look at e-commerce, dissecting common mistakes and revealing the path to understanding real profits. It's a conversation about...

Download
2023 / 8 / 22

Mastering ManyChat Marketing

Today on the show, a deep dive into the ever-evolving world of chatbots. Kurt Elster sits down with Liziana Carter, navigating through the winding lanes of ManyChat's storied past, from its 24-hour glory days...

Download
2023 / 8 / 15

Profit Over Panic: Braxley's Comeback Story

See it on YouTube: youtu.be/cQXHEJOPgfcEver wondered how an accidental idea can morph into a thriving business? To find out, we're thrilled to have Braxton Manley, the innovative founder of Braxley Bands,...

Download
2023 / 8 / 8

Shopify Editions Summer ’23

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ioGVduoPnPMEvery six months, like clockwork, Shopify unveils its latest offerings. This summer's Shopify Edition is here, brimming with innovative features designed to help...

Download
2023 / 8 / 1

Creating Profitable Influencer Relationships

Ever wondered how to make the most of influencer partnerships without breaking the bank? Tomer Hen, founder of Switch Supplements and a recognized Forbes 30 Under 30 entrepreneur, has the answers. Uncover the...

Download
2023 / 7 / 25

Optimizing Price for Profits

Video interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ISSTJFIUd8wGet ready to unlock the secrets of pricing optimization with data enthusiast and serial entrepreneur, Byron Myers. This episode delves into Byron's...

Download
2023 / 7 / 18

A Tennis Pro Turned Bag Entrepreneur

YouTube: https://youtu.be/rM2dQwDZe5UWe talk with Jack Oswald, a former professional tennis player turned entrepreneur. Oswald speaks candidly about designing a better sports bag, leveraging customer feedback...

Download
2023 / 7 / 11

Mic Drop: JZ Mic's Marketing Masterclass

Youtube Interview: https://youtu.be/ZOxFs99yHuAEver wondered how to grow a niche brand into a global force? On this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, we hear from Andris Zemmers, marketing director...

Download
2023 / 7 / 4

Shopify Subscription App Selection

Jump into the sea of subscription apps with the guidance of our guest Andriy Rudnyk. He breaks down the common mistakes when picking an app and forecasts the future of subscription apps. Plus, discover his...

Download
2023 / 6 / 27

Making the World's First Creatine Gummy

One life-changing realization transformed him from a SpaceX employee to a pioneering entrepreneur…We have Dylan Menter, the brain behind Bear Balanced and the world's first Creatine gummies, on The Unofficial...

Download
2023 / 6 / 20

Mastering Kickstarter for Product Launches

Delve into the world of Kickstarter and learn how Shopify merchants can use it to launch products and build an audience. Khierstyn Ross, Chief Brand Builder at Launch and Scale, joins us to...

Download
2023 / 6 / 13

Unraveling eCommerce Accounting for Shopify Merchants

Join us on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast as eCommerce accounting expert Wayne Richard shares financial strategies for Shopify store owners. Learn common mistakes, efficiency metrics, sales tax nexus...

Download
2023 / 6 / 6

Secrets from a $100M Ecom Entrepreneur

Entrepreneur Nick Mertz on Challenges of E-commerce, In-House Operations, and Hiring the Right People.Today's episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast brings you Nick Mertz, the reclusive yet unstoppable...

Download
2023 / 5 / 30

News & Updates: May 2023

We discuss a range of topics from technical problem-solving to the impact of AI and automation. We explore how to enhance your ecommerce business with alternative strategies such as live shopping, and...

Download
2023 / 5 / 23

The Magic of Forever Transactions

Explore the world of subscription models and their potential pitfalls. From losing profits from your best customers switching to the subscription model to ensuring that customers are not abusing the service,...

Download
2023 / 5 / 16

Crowdsourcing the Future of Lab Gear

Get ready to put on your lab coat and nerd out with the founder and CEO of Genius Lab Gear, Derek Miller, on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast. Derek spills the beans on his journey from making stickers to...

Download
2023 / 5 / 9

Happy Bulge: Swimming Through The Waves of Success

On this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Kurt Elster speaks to Jeremy Bradley, the founder of Happy Bulge Swim Co. Jeremy started his company in April 2019 and by August 2020 was pivoting to...

Download
2023 / 5 / 2

Sustainable Shopping through Advocate Apparel

Join host Kurt Elster and his guest, Dr. Patrick Rynne, for an episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast. Dr. Rynne is the founder of Waterlust—a brand that creates “advocate apparel” like UV-protective...

Download
2023 / 4 / 25

Ride Your Ride

Listen in as Kurt Elster catches up with Brian De Groodt about his inspiring journey creating an innovative line of personalized custom cycling components for cyclists all around the world. Hear the story of...

Download
2023 / 4 / 18

From Edible Cookie Dough to Ecommerce Success

Sit down with Erica Rankin, the founder and CEO of Bro Dough, a plant-based, protein-infused, edible cookie dough company based out of Canada. Erica shares her journey from launching Bro Dough in 2019 to...

Download
2023 / 4 / 11

Captivate the Right Customers

In this episode, we discuss how to unlock lower acquisition costs, retention, and profitability by captivating the right type of customers. Scott Cunningham shares his five-part offer stack formula for...

Download
2023 / 4 / 4

Unlocking the Power of Customer Lifetime Value

Ecom Businesses often rely on Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV) to stay profitable, but the correct formula can be hard to calculate. Fear not! Mr. Daniel McCarthy is here with his expertise in statistical...

Download
2023 / 3 / 28

Shopify Editions: NEW Online Store Features

Tune into The Unofficial Shopify Podcast for all the goods on the biggest updates and features coming to Shopify. From one-page checkout to AI integration to quality of life improvements, they'll tell you...

Download
2023 / 3 / 21

Building a Viral Fashion Accessory: The Ponyback Hat

Have you heard about the revolutionary Ponyback Hat? Tune in to this episode to hear from its founder, Stacey Keller, about the inspiration behind this innovative fashion accessory and how it went viral on...

Download
2023 / 3 / 14

Making Social Media Magic with Disney Dan's Proven Approach

Sit down with YouTube content creator Dan Becker (AKA Disney Dan) to discuss the power of storytelling in content marketing, tips for creating engaging social media content, and how to build a strong personal...

Download
2023 / 3 / 7

Lume Cube's Journey

Join us as we explore how Lume Cube became the leading brand in personal lighting for creators and innovators. Though COVID-19 hit them hard, their team was able to quickly adapt and increase demand for their...

Download
2023 / 2 / 28

Top-Converting Landing Pages

Creating Shopify landing pages is essential to success as an online store.In this episode, you'll learn how to create pages that look great and help you boost your return on advertising spend (ROAS).You can...

Download
2023 / 2 / 21

Twitter for Entrepreneurs: How to Grow Your Network

"Twitter is like the sweatpants of social media."Twitter can be a powerful tool for entrepreneurs, but not in the same way as other social media platforms.In this episode, you'll hear how to grow your network...

Download
2023 / 2 / 14

SELLING ART ONLINE: How Jon Chase Built a Career

Get your creative juices flowing this week on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast with Jon Chase: master artist & online entrepreneur. From his roots with Famous Stars & Straps to becoming art director for...

Download
2023 / 2 / 7

Ask Me Anything: January '23

In this AMA episode, we're tackling your listener questions. Learn our insights on ChatGPT and get an inside look at what questions you should be asking yourself come 2023. We'll also give tips on how window...

Download
2023 / 1 / 31

How Merci Handy's Gone Global with Shopify and Stranger Things

Interview with Louis Marty, co-founder and CEO of Merci Handy. In this episode, Louis discusses his experience building and growing a successful eCommerce business overseas, before expanding into North...

Download
2023 / 1 / 24

Why Your Personal Brand Matters (And How To Build One)

"Personal branding leads the right people to you."This episode is all about PERSONAL BRANDING FOR ENTREPRENEURS. To discuss it, we're joined by Sigute Zitikyte.Sigute is a personal brand and business coach...

Download
2023 / 1 / 17

Maximizing Retention: Tactics for Reducing Subscription Churn

In this episode, we discuss the subscription business model and how to make it successful on Shopify. Our guest is Andriy Rudnyk, founder of Good Subscription Agency, who shares his insights on common...

Download
2023 / 1 / 10

How an Iconic Flask Revived an 1890s Housewares Brand Online

Our guest today acquired a business, grew it from $90,000 in sales to $2 million, and created a category selling luxury flasks in the process.We're joined by CEO of Jacob Bromwell, Sean Bandawat the world’s...

Download
2023 / 1 / 3

How a Subscription Box Biz Got a Netflix Show

We all love subscriptions, the allure of recurring predictable revenue is too hard to pass up. They're hard to get right.We need an experienced subscription veteran who's been there and can tell us what what...

Download
2022 / 12 / 27

Can Cashback Rewards Save Ecommerce from Discount Addiction?

Here's how I shop from a new brand. I see an ad on Facebook, I click through, if the site is on Shopify and looks legit, maybe I'll buy. When I do buy, I'm going to wait until I'm on my desktop so that I can...

Download
2022 / 12 / 20

BUILDING A CULT(URE) OF COMMUNITY

"Business, like life, is about how you make people feel. It's that simple, and it's that hard." –Daniel MeyerAuthenticity & community are buzzwords we here often when discussing brand marketing in 2022, but...

Download
2022 / 12 / 13

AI Chat Funnels: Bots are back, are they better?

In 2016, Facebook opened up messenger bots. And in 2017, it felt like we hit peak chat bots. We didnt hear about them as much in 2019, but that doesnt mean they ever went away, and now there is a resurgence...

Download
2022 / 12 / 6

Picking the Perfect Shopify Theme

"Which theme should I use for a store that sells..." is a common question from Shopify merchants. With 97 themes currently in the Shopify Theme Store, thousands mores floating around the web, and very few of...

Download
2022 / 11 / 29

Postal Petals Disrupts Floral Industry

The great lockdown of 2020 seems like a lifetime ago. At that time, a lot of took on hobbies. Some of us baked. I made a lot of homemade pizza.Today's guest also picked up a pandemic hobby, and then, unlike...

Download
2022 / 11 / 22

How ‘Made With Local’ Scaled with Values

Made with Local started as a simple farmer’s market table and is now a B-Corp certified food provider available at stores across Canada–but it’s still baked at home (that is Dartmouth, Nova Scotia!), by...

Download
2022 / 11 / 15

How Harley Finkelstein Went From Shopify's Earliest User to its President

This episode is also available on YouTube: youtu.be/eyGIORYpio4Before Harley Finkelstein was President of Shopify, he was one of their first customers, selling t-shirts on a Shopify store sixteen years ago....

Download
2022 / 11 / 8

2022 eCommerce Trends Report

Ecommerce Fuel community leader Andrew Youderian joins us to discuss the results of his 2022 ecommerce trends report gathered directly from store owners like you.We'll give you a unique, detailed look at what...

Download
2022 / 11 / 1

Automating Real UGC on TikTok

How a 12-month-old platform, Bounty, is merging influencers and loyalty for efficient customer acquisitionGUEST BIO: Abe started Bounty in November 2021 following Apple’s iOS 14.5 privacy updates that turned...

Download
2022 / 10 / 25

Maximizing CLTV this Q4 w/ SMS & Email

This panel was originally recorded live during Commerce Accel 2022, and is syndicated on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast with permission from conference organizer Kunle Campbell.We find ourselves in a...

Download
2022 / 10 / 18

AMA OCTOBER

The 9th installment of our popular AMA series.In this Ask Me Anything episode sourced from our listeners, we discuss...Free resources to get you prepped for BFCMApp recommendations for promosPlus data,...

Download
2022 / 10 / 11

DEAR META ADS BUYER, YOU'RE NOT ALONE

If you're struggling with Facebook ads, you’re not crazy and you’re not alone. Social media advertising is not what it once was, and neither is Q4. This new landscape is really, really hard.Guest Bio: Andrew...

Download
2022 / 10 / 4

Maximize Your Paid Ads with Google Performance Max

Performance MAX campaigns are HOT right now. This super campaign type combines ALL of Google's channels into one campaign - Search Ads, Shopping Ads, Display Ads, Gmail Ads and YouTube ads all in one. We're...

Download
2022 / 9 / 27

Reach Your Audience Without Paid Ads

Do you feel like you're burning money at the altar of Facebook while Zuckerberg builds a VR empire? Are you earning break even ROAS, and hoping ad prices don't rise any further?If you are, that's not...

Download
2022 / 9 / 20

Reviving Revo Sunglasses

If you're a little older than me, you may remember a particularly cool pair of sunglasses that was famous for using NASA satellite tech in their lenses and for being the first real activewear sunglasses in...

Download
2022 / 9 / 13

Growing Cat Backpacks into a 7-Figure Biz

Today's guest co-founded the #1 cat travel brand in the world. You read that right.We're joined by Emily Miethner from travelcatshop.com, now the #1 cat travel brand in the world, and a fast-growing, global...

Download
2022 / 9 / 6

Content Marketing isn't a Campaign

Today's guest is Jake Karls, a co-founder at chocolate factory & DTC brand Mid-Day Squares.Jake's job goal is to grow their brand by building genuine relationships – with investors, buyers, journalists, and...

Download
2022 / 8 / 30

Unlocking Customer Experience Mindset

Today's guest is Nick Disabato, a conversion rate optimization consultant who believes "Ecommerce isn’t a video game. It’s relationships with real people, at scale." In this episode, we'll learn how his...

Download
2022 / 8 / 23

The Business of Games

Scott Brown & Tim Swindle are the creators of PaddleSmash, a new outdoor active game that combines elements of Pickleball and Spikeball.Scott Brown is the co-founder of Marbles: The Brain Store, a retail...

Download
2022 / 8 / 16

Be Your Brand’s Best Publicist

Today's topic is PR...PR or "earned media" is very attractive. Authentic content and engagement that you dont have to pay for. Its like SEO for press.Sounds great? So why isn't everyone doing it? Because it's...

Download
2022 / 8 / 9

Q&A: Shopify Store Strategy

Our popular 'Ask Us Anything' series continuesWe open with news of a ponzi scheme, then answer your burning questions.We discuss:Maximizing your advertising dollarsShopify's share priceBuilding the perfect...

Download
2022 / 8 / 2

Building a Baked Goods Brand with a Mission

A cookie brand born in Farmer's Markets discovers their mission after a chance encounter with the lead singer of Imagine Dragons.This is the story of Wunderkeks, an Austin-based baked goods company...

Download
2022 / 7 / 26

Shopify Editions Summer 2022 Recap

Move over Unite, the big announcements are now happening twice a year with Shopify Editions, Shopify’s new semi-annual showcase.CEO Tobi says, “With Shopify Editions, we’re sharing our big bets and latest...

Download
2022 / 7 / 19

Immutable Laws of Conversions

In this episode, our guest packages more than a decade of knowledge and experience into just a handful of immutable laws that can help savvy brands convert more visitors into buyers.We're joined by Jon...

Download
2022 / 7 / 12

No Shortcuts: Lessons from 13 Years in Online Marketing

Our guest today didn't know what he didn't know when he started an apparel brand in 2009, and only grew to dislike it the more successful he became, so he eventually exited the business in 2017 to focus on...

Download
2022 / 7 / 5

Selling Your Online Business

Learn the Four Pillars of ValueWhich deal types are available (its more than just cash)As interest rates rise, why you want to be SBA qualifiedWhy you want to use accrual accounting to clean up your...

Download
2022 / 6 / 28

Split Testing Product Prices

"Addressing prices once every year or two isn't going to work anymore."You've probably already invested time testing and analyzing your sales funnel, but have you ever tested your pricing? How did you...

Download
2022 / 6 / 21

The Most Controversial Way to Get Subscribers

In this episode: An email insider exposes how to acquire the email addresses of anonymous website visitors who don't make a purchase or fill out a form. You read that right. But is it even legal? And if so,...

Download
2022 / 6 / 14

No Best Practices: 7 Surprising Split Tests

Most business owners would agree that data-driven decisions are preferable, so why then are we all overlooking split testing when making design decisions? In this episode, we talk through seven interesting...

Download
2022 / 6 / 7

Useful Google Tools for Your Store

Google offers many free and excellent tools for business owners, but knowing which ones to invest in, and what to do with can be intimdating. Our guest today talks us through a low-stress, high impact...

Download
2022 / 5 / 31

SEO & Content Strategy Simplified

Long time SEO expert and Shopify Partner Rhian Beutler returns to the show with updates to tell us...the SEO & content strategy every store should employthe right approach to Meta title & description tagsHow...

Download
2022 / 5 / 24

Q&A: Shopify Feature & Strategy Update

In this Ask Us Anything episode, we discuss new features and answer your burning questions.What's new at Shopify:AudiencesDelivery DatesSFN + DeliverrAnd your questions:When to upgrade your planThe importance...

Download
2022 / 5 / 17

Understanding Influencer Product Seeding

In today's episode, we learn a sane and accessible influencer marketing strategy that has worked for brand and big small: product seeding.We're joined by Cody Wittick, Co-Founder and Co-CEO at Kynship, an...

Download
2022 / 5 / 10

Tools to Get Your Money Right

In this episode, we hear how Shopify merchants can better manage their business finances, and increase conversion at checkout.Our guest today is Tui Allen, a Product Director at Shopify, overseeing financial...

Download
2022 / 5 / 3

Undoing Headless

In episode 400, we heard from veteran ecom investor Drew Sanocki that he'd acquired oVertone Haircare along with ecom powerhouse influencer Ezra Firestone.In today's episode, our recent hire Tom Siodlak talks...

Download
2022 / 4 / 26

Custom Theming a Multimillion Lifestyle Brand

In episode 235, we heard how SHITI Coolers started with $400 in parody stickers back in 2016 and by 2019 had grown into a seven-figure lifestyle brand.Today, they're back on the show to discuss their next...

Download
2022 / 4 / 19

Easy Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Business

We discuss the top mistakes to avoid early in your entrepreneurial journey. Look, when you start something new, you don't know what you don't know. It's easy to make a lot of mistakes early on that become...

Download
2022 / 4 / 12

Lessons from 20 Years of Ecommerce

Serial entrepreneur Drew Sanocki shares his career learnings after starting, buying, running, or selling numerous ecommerce businesses.Notable quotes:"You make most of your money on the exit.""Buying a...

Download
2022 / 4 / 5

AMA: What's Working in 2022

In this Ask Me Anything episode sourced from our listeners, we discuss...Alternatives to Shopify and Google AnalyticsTikTok StrategyWhat do successful brands do differently?Is SEO still viable?What's one...

Download
2022 / 3 / 29

Becca Davison of UnbuckleMe

We're joined by Becca Davison, co-inventor of UnbuckleMe, an innovative, patented tool that makes it easy to open kids’ car seat buckles. She's a Shark Tank alum who experienced the most unusual event in the...

Download
2022 / 3 / 22

Starting a Ghost Pepper Honey Brand

Our guest today is a serial entrepreneur who shuns the hustle & grind and instead focuses on enjoying the journey of starting a business."I have had many ups and downs but one night I had a dream about my...

Download
2022 / 3 / 15

Conversion Copywriting (and how Humor Helps, Maybe)

In this episode originally recorded live for a virtual audience at The Future of Ecommerce, we talk with conversion copywriter Lianna Patch about how to improve your store's copywriting and maybe even add a...

Download
2022 / 3 / 8

Migrating to Shopify

In this episode, we talk through migrating to Shopify: things to watch out for, and experienced advice on how to make the most of migrating to Shopify.Our expert guest contributors are:Stewart Knapman who...

Download
2022 / 3 / 1

Kelley Higney of Bug Bite Thing (Shark Tank Update)

Since creating Bug Bite Thing in 2017, Kelley has been a "Mom on a Mission" to offer the most effective chemical-free solution for insect bite relief worldwide.In 2013, Kelley Higney moved from California to...

Download
2022 / 2 / 22

Building Community Through Challenges

Alicia Reynoso began selling online 7 years ago and has since built and exited an 8-figure brand on Amazon and Shopify.It wasn't until she launched her free 60 Day Challenge that she was able to grow a hyper...

Download
2022 / 2 / 15

How a Dad Started a Kids' Clothing Line in 2020

Kyle Hale spent a year teaching himself to draw so he could start Ambitious Kids, a T-shirt company for children. His designs have a retro midwestern vibe that has a way of sparking conversations. Still early...

Download
2022 / 2 / 8

Why These Teddy Bears are Exclusively Wholesale

How a family business selling teddy bears, Plush in a Rush, went from a regional traveling salesperson venture to a nationwide wholesale e-commerce store. Yes, this store is exclusively wholesale, and...

Download
2022 / 2 / 1

The Future of Ecommerce

We discuss our own key takeaways Shopify's extensive Future of Ecommerce Industry Report for 2022 to arm you with the ecommerce trends, insights, and advice you need to succeed in 2022.Also available on...

Download
2022 / 1 / 25

AMA: Metafields, Online Store 2.0, & more

Also available in glorious HD video on YouTube: Show producer Paul Reda returns to from paternity leave and he's on fire with hot takes in this AMA episode. We answer your burning ecommerce questions. Today's...

Download
2022 / 1 / 18

Ben Knegendorf's High-Ticket Dropshipping Approach

How a Walmart forklift driver with no ecommerce experience started (and sold) a series of successful dropshipping businesses. In this episode, Ben lays out his practical and repeatable approach to building...

Download
2022 / 1 / 11

Sprinkler Nerd Says, "Dropshipping's Not Dead"

In 2004, Andy Humphrey took the $108 he'd saved and turned it into $10,000 profit in 6 months selling Christmas lights on SuperTwinkle.com while working full-time as a distributor account manager.Fast forward...

Download
2022 / 1 / 4

How Braxley Bands sold 200K+  Watch straps

How a design student bootstrapped a watch strap business with $20 and a sock, cultivated a loyal repeat customer base, and ultimately sold over 200,000 watch bands starting from a dorm room in Texas. Our...

Download
2021 / 12 / 28

Banned From Facebook, SEO Saves Store

Good SEO and content strategy can help ecommerce store owners be less reliant on paid traffic.Do you rely on paid ads to get traffic? What happens if you get banned from running ads or traffic dries up?That's...

Download
2021 / 12 / 21

How a Plush Toy Earns This Couple Six Figures

Jonathon and Maria Denholm have invented a new way for teachers to manage their classrooms with an adorable product they call Your Teacher's Pet Creature. In this episode, Jonathon shares their journey going...

Download
2021 / 12 / 14

3PL ShipBob Sees Strong Black Friday Fulfillment

According to Shopify sales data, "merchants on Shopify generated peak sales of nearly $3.1 million per minute at 12:02 PM EST on Black Friday, and merchants crossed $1 billion in sales by 4:00am EST, four...

Download
2021 / 12 / 7

How CROSSNET reinvented volleyball on Shopify

In today's show, CROSSNET co-founder & CMO Chris Meade tells us how he bootstrapped the world’s first four way volleyball game into a 8 figure business in 4 years.CROSSNET is sold in over 2,500+ retail...

Download
2021 / 11 / 30

Conversion Copywriting

In our last chat with Rishi (AKA the Shopify product page guy), we talked about why product pages are important (https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/rishi-rawat). It was one of our most popular 2021...

Download
2021 / 11 / 23

How Inclusivity & Community Sells Apparel

Our guest is Adam Greenberg, one of the co-founders and CMO of ONE BONE, a size inclusive brand for the hard-to-fit man.He’s a morning show radio host on Virgin Radio in Montreal, Canada, and he used to tour...

Download
2021 / 11 / 16

The Facebook ROAS Death Spiral

This episode is also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2O8th50rMbMIf you advertise on Facebook (or other ad platforms) you need to understand Media Efficiency Ratio (MER) vs. Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)...

Download
2021 / 11 / 11

Dynamic Commerce with Shopify's Hydrogen

Hear from Ilya Grigorik at Shopify about the latest with Hydrogen, Shopify’s new React-based custom storefronts framework.At Shopify Unite 2021 last summer, Tobi Lütke demo'd a new quick-start toolkit for...

Download
2021 / 11 / 9

(What to do) When Inventory Runs Out

In this episode, Rhian Beutler and Kelly Vaughn join us to discuss the state of the supply chain and the economy in Q4, what that means for your store, and what you can do to avoid "dead ends" on your site...

Download
2021 / 11 / 2

Steal Ezra Firestone's 2021 Million Dollar Holiday Blueprint

Learn the strategies master marketer Ezra Firestone is using this year for his 8-figure ecommerce brand.Show LinksSmart Holiday BootcampZipify PagesSmart MarketerBoomSponsorsFree 30-day trial of Zipify OCU -...

Download
2021 / 10 / 28

How Mrs. Elster gets 500+ visits/day from Google

In this bonus episode, Julie Elster (AKA Mrs. Unofficial Shopify Podcast) describes the free content strategy and "feedback loop" she's implemented on her Shopify store to generate 550 qualified organic...

Download
2021 / 10 / 26

Your 2021 Black Friday Facebook Ads Strategy

We're taking a deep dive into Facebook ads strategy. We're talking what we're seeing working, and sane strategies you can use in your campaigns.You'll learn a three stage strategy to set your Facebook ads...

Download
2021 / 10 / 19

Holiday Email Marketing Tips & Prep

Joining us to discuss Pre and Post BFCM Email Marketing Strategies is Chase Diamond, an experienced email marketer who has sent over one billion emails resulting in $75 million in email attributable...

Download
2021 / 10 / 12

How a FB Ads expert bootstrapped from 0–$100K

In this episode, we talk to an experienced Facebook marketer Mojca Zove who started her first real online store in 2020, and then bootstrapped it to 100k in 6 months. The number of things she learned along...

Download
2021 / 10 / 5

Supply Chain Snags' Merchant Impact

In this episode, we discuss the global supply chain disruption affecting US store shelves. Turns out the mega ship got stuck in the Suez Canal was nothing compared to this.Why are limits on toilet paper back...

Download
2021 / 9 / 28

Connected Retail: Bridging Offline & Online Stores

This episode is for you if...You have retail locations (or are considering it) then you'll want to hear at least the first 20 minutes of this "Connected Retail" discussion with an experienced insider.OR you...

Download
2021 / 9 / 21

Donations, Not Discounts

In this episode, Shopify merchants will hear about the problems with discounting, how the modern consumer is changing, and one innovative way you can adapt.As co-founder and CEO of Givz, Andrew Forman is...

Download
2021 / 9 / 14

BFCM: Predictions for Your Promotions

For our upcoming Black Friday merchant survey, we asked what questions you wanted to be included. In this episode, we're predicting the answers to those questions before we conduct the survey.Questions...

Download
2021 / 9 / 7

Headless 101

On today's show, we're getting a crash course on Headless Ecommerce. Our guest today is uniquely suited to the task, having led a headless Shopify migration for a top 100 Shopify Plus store, and most recently...

Download
2021 / 8 / 31

BFCM: Prepping for this Holiday Season

If you're going to have the best holiday selling season ever, you need to have a plan in place starting now. But what's that look like? What do we prioritize?In this episode, we'll talk through phase 1 of...

Download
2021 / 8 / 24

Your Data is Probably Bad

Everyone likes to say they make data-driven decisions, fewer actually do, and even fewer are making those decisions with good data.As more and more Shopify businesses drill into making data driven decisions...

Download
2021 / 8 / 17

What matters for the future of ecommerce

Kurt Elster, Emmett Shine, and Lisel Welden work with DTC brands on the daily, respectively, so you’d think they’ve heard and seen it all. From Domino's self-driving cars to Walmart’s plan to be fully...

Download
2021 / 8 / 10

July Recap: The Summer Slump

Paul and Kurt recap and discuss July's ecom buzz:Klaviyo's new featuresHeadless HotnessThe Summer SlumpPaul's Beef(s) with KurtOur favorite Online Store 2.0 featureShow LinksKlaviyo Product EventScreencast:...

Download
2021 / 8 / 3

Discount Code Abuse: Protecting Your Profits

In this episode, we'll pull back the curtain on how coupon extensions work, and reveal new data showing how they really impact key performance metrics like average order value and cart completion.How do...

Download
2021 / 7 / 27

Q&A: Online Store 2.0

In this Ask Us Anything episode, we answer listener questions.When should I upgrade to Online Store 2.0?What's headless ecommerce?The new metafields: What are they? How would I use them?What are you doing...

Download
2021 / 7 / 20

Zuly Matallana of Tiara (Dragon's Den Update)

For more than 15 years Zuly Matallana worked in large multinational companies to develop businesses by successfully leading teams to monetize market opportunities.Now, Zuly is translating the skills she...

Download
2021 / 7 / 13

Two Stores & a Full-time Job

Ryan Tarver, a serial entrepreneur with a full-time job, joins us to discuss the realities of what it’s like to start a LLC, design a brand, and launch two shops while having a full time job, a toddler, a...

Download
2021 / 7 / 6

Lots of traffic but no sales?

In-store marketing & merchandising are the basics of eCommerce but something that is missed often.Our guest today won the 2020 Shopify Commerce Awards with her app ModeMagic by Mason. She's conducted...

Download
2021 / 6 / 29

Shopify Unite 2021 Recap

Working from home looked good on Shopify because this year's Unite announcements are the most featured-packed yet. So much is changing that they're calling it "Online Store 2.0"In this episode, we recap the...

Download
2021 / 6 / 29

Using Pre-Orders to Grow Inventory

Manufacturing your own goods is expensive, and can be even more expensive when you manufacture in the U.S. In this episode, Sarah Resnick, founder of Gist Yarn, tells us how she's used pre-ordering to fund...

Download
2021 / 6 / 22

The Boneheaded Mistakes We've All Made Running Online Businesses

Steve Chou and his wife Jennifer built a seven-figure business... and made a lot of mistakes along the way. We all have!This episode isn't about successes, it's about the stuff everybody (myself included)...

Download
2021 / 6 / 15

Converting Your First Customers

Customer acquisition costs are more expensive than ever, so how can small brands acquire their first customers without spending big on paid traffic? Our guest today has a practical approach to that problem...

Download
2021 / 6 / 8

Your Most Important Page is Product

Through vigorous testing over a decade long ecommerce career, today's guest has come to a conclusion: the product is the most important page on the whole site, and he's got outside-the-box wisdom on how to...

Download
2021 / 6 / 1

How a Former Hockey Player Found Spikey Success

Paul de Jersey wants you to lie on what looks like a bed of nails. If you think this is unusual, so did he when he first experienced a spikey acupuncture mat, but it works. It worked so well that he...

Download
2021 / 5 / 25

AMA: Improving Conversions & User Experience

Addressing large drop-offs at checkoutBest navigation style for large catalogsPagination vs infinite scrolla "back to basics" checklist for a $1M/y merchantWhat's the best way to advertise for conversion...

Download
2021 / 5 / 18

How Community & Story Bootstrapped KinkyCurlyYaki to Success

Vivian Kaye describes herself as "Oprah + Gary Vee" and that's a pretty good description.Her presence and genuine desire to continuously learn and grow while keeping it REAL quickly made her a personality who...

Download
2021 / 5 / 11

How Kettle & Fire Scaled Affiliate Relationships to 7-figures

In this episode, you'll hear How Kettle & Fire scaled their affiliate and partnerships programs to 7-figures in revenue. We'll talk through best practices + actionable tactics.The tools to identify...

Download
2021 / 5 / 4

Is your developer faking your PageSpeed score?

Everyone wants a better PageSpeed score. So when a client came to us with unusually good PageSpeed scores in a theme we set up last year, we wanted to know how they achieved it so we could replicate the...

Download
2021 / 4 / 27

Selling The Best Cotton Candy You Will Ever Taste

Head Mutha Fluffa Therese Dozier, founder of LUV SPUN, turned her events based cotton candy business around in 2020 by moving her Artisanal Candy Floss to Shopify.LUVSPUN provides a unique flavor experience...

Download
2021 / 4 / 20

6 Ecommerce Myths Holding You Back

Misinformation is spewed left and right about nearly everything in eCommerce and it’s driving us insane.In this joint episode, fellow ecom coach and podcast host Austin Brawner joins the show to dispel the...

Download
2021 / 4 / 13

How to Spot Fake Influencers

In this episode, we break down influencer marketing for ecommerce with a Shopify merchant that used influencer marketing to launch their weighted blanket in 2017 with influencers including Kourtney...

Download
2021 / 4 / 6

Growing Your Store [Merchant Q&A]

In this episode, we answer questions from Shopify merchants in our Facebook group. We discuss...Analyzing HeatmapsWhen to outsource your marketingInventory forecastingTop Klaviyo FlowsCollections as SEO...

Download
2021 / 3 / 30

Six Sane Ways to Optimize Your Product Detail Page

In this episode:What are the most common mistakes that Shopify store owners make with their product pages?What steps can store owners take to figure out if their product page needs help?What things are you...

Download
2021 / 3 / 23

Love Is: How Chrissie Lam Empowers Female Artisans

We talk to SharkTank alum Chrissie Lam about her Love Is Project journey.How Chrissie created the original love bracelet in Kenya,transformed a personal photo project to a viral social media campaignand then...

Download
2021 / 3 / 16

Optimizing the Customer Journey by Exiting the Ecommerce Echo Chamber

Juliana Jackson, AKA The CLV Lady, Juliana is one of the principal architects of the Customer Value Optimization Category, a ground-breaking innovation framework for ecommerce companies that identifies the...

Download
2021 / 3 / 9

Preparing Your Facebook Ads for iOS14

Apple says they're "standing up for users." Facebook says an upcoming prompt in Apple's iOS 14 is bad for small businesses. Regardless of which side you think if self-serving here, if you advertise on...

Download
2021 / 3 / 2

How Tacticalories Sells Out Weekly

Casey Bard had a decent side hustle on Shopify and a full-time job... until he got a call from his boss letting him know that he no longer he had a job because the company leadership may be going to jail....

Download
2021 / 2 / 23

Scaling Your Store AMA, Part II

Today we're doing a follow-up to our popular AMA from our Facebook group, Unofficial Shopify Podcast Insider's.We answer your questions, such as:Developing your positioning (without confusing...

Download
2021 / 2 / 16

How TikTok Revitalized This Pandemic-fatigued Merchant

In June 2019, Cesar Torres joined us to share the unusual story of how he turned a merch store for his sci-fi book series into a fitness leggings brand with a big impact on LGBTQ+ fans of the brand.Then, the...

Download
2021 / 2 / 9

How to Scale Your Store [Q&A]

Today we're doing an AMA from our Facebook group, Unofficial Shopify Podcast Insider's.We answer your questions, such as:Tips for growing Shopify store from six to seven figures.Benchmarks for gross margin...

Download
2021 / 2 / 2

How Two Strangers Partnered to Sell $1mm in Jerky

After leaving his 20-year engineering career to become a local marketing consultant, Dustin Riechman discovered a jerky so good that he decided to pitch a relative stranger on a business partnership that...

Download
2021 / 1 / 26

How Travel Apparel Brand Aviator Survived 2020

Colby Kane, owner and founder of Aviator, discusses how the 2008 recession shaped his business, how he's survived the current pandemic, and what he expects will happen in 2021.Colby is a designer and art...

Download
2021 / 1 / 19

When a Pandemic Pauses Your Business

Julie Elster (as in Mrs. Elster) joins us again for a candid update on how 2020 impacted her travel business, hosted on Shopify.Show LinksDoubleYourWDW.comPast Episode: My Wife Started a Shopify Store!Past...

Download
2021 / 1 / 12

The Most Common CRO Blind Spots

Returning for his fourth appearance is Nick Disabato, ecommerce conversion rate optimization wunderkind.On today's episode: an airing of grievances around merchant's approach to conversion rate...

Download
2021 / 1 / 5

New Year's Resolutions for your Shopify Business

Now through January we’ll see an influx of new listeners. (Welcome!)We asked our new listeners, "what’s your number one question as you grow your Shopify store?"And to our established merchants, we asked,...

Download
2020 / 12 / 29

Stumped by SMS? Ask the Expert.

Worried mobile messaging will annoy your customers? Not if you do it right.We ask SMS marketing consultant Arri Bagah listener submitted questions like...What do people really want when they sign up for...

Download
2020 / 12 / 22

How a Tesla Accessory Store Built a Cult Fanbase

When I bought our first electric vehicle earlier this year, I did what a lot of new car buyers do and went accessory shopping. It was not long before I started seeing ads for aftermarket accessory vendor...

Download
2020 / 12 / 15

Shipageddon, Cyber Monday, & Simulated Chicken

In this episode, we discuss Shipageddon Season and the Cyber Monday that broke shipping. Then a Nuggs teardown– They're "the Tesla of chicken."Show LinksShipBob's Shipping Carrier DataNUGGSSponsorsGet...

Download
2020 / 12 / 1

Black Friday 2020 Data Download

From the start of Black Friday in New Zealand through the end of Black Friday in California, Shopify merchants saw a 75% increase in sales from Black Friday in 2019. By 8:00am EST, merchants on Shopify...

Download
2020 / 11 / 24

Building a DTC Matcha Business with No Ad Spend

We talk to a cookbook author who turned his experience living in Japan into a Shopify store focused on selling the best quality matcha possible.Eric is the founder and chief evangelist at Breakaway Matcha....

Download
2020 / 11 / 17

What Every Merchant Should Know About Theme Development

In this episode, we'll talk to one of the most experienced Shopify theme developers on the planet: Anne Thomas.You'll learn...how to audit your theme for performancethe common pitfalls to avoid with your...

Download
2020 / 11 / 10

This Master Tea Blender Shifted Their Family Business Online, Selling Seven-Figures

Third-generation Master Tea Blender Emeric Harney joins us to discuss the online success of their 37-year-old family tea business, Harney & Sons. Harney & Sons is a tea company that is committed to "making...

Download
2020 / 11 / 3

Thigh Society: How One Woman Sells 7-Figures of Anti-Chafing Underwear

Marnie Consky is the Founder, CEO, and Chief Anti-Chafing Champion of Thigh Society (US), a niche undergarment brand offering moisture-wicking, breathable, and discreet boxer brief underwear for women. Thigh...

Download
2020 / 10 / 29

Black Friday 2020 Facebook Marketing Strategies

In this episode, you'll learn a three stage strategy to set your Facebook ads funnel up for success before and during Black Friday.Facebook Ads are more expensive than ever, and Black Friday is going to bring...

Download
2020 / 10 / 27

Choosing, Changing, & Maintaining Your Shopify Theme

Out of The Sandbox's Sean Campbell joins us to discuss all things theme related:When & how should you upgrade or change themesWhat to consider in a new themeBehind the scenes of the Shopify Theme Storethe...

Download
2020 / 10 / 20

Maximizing Revenue on Black Friday through Financing & More

In this episode:Increasing average order value with financing,a new sexy store,and your Black Friday prep crash course.Show Links2020 Holiday Email GuideSezzle - My Sezzle referral code is SZXRLQJ. When you...

Download
2020 / 10 / 13

Steal Ezra Firestone's Million Dollar Black Friday Blueprint

In 2018, Ezra Firestone generated $700K over Black Friday, with $100k alone on Thanksgiving for his Shopify store BOOM by Cindy Joseph.This year he plans do 30% more and he's going to tell us exactly...

Download
2020 / 10 / 6

How Nomad Goods Drives Seven-figures Revenue Through Klaviyo

Nomad Goods' Chuck Melber joins us to tell us in details what he's doing in Klaviyo to generate seven-figures worth of revenue annually.Key Takeaways:"A clean list is a well-delivered list"How to segment...

Download
2020 / 9 / 29

Manufacturing Authenticity: From Sneaker Drops to Shinola Saving Detroit

We discuss:The ethics of financing solutionsLaunching your products like YeezyRumors: An update on Native Checkout IntegrationsNews: A Shopify data leak, and a Shopify Partner arrested by the FBIAre Nikkola,...

Download
2020 / 9 / 22

How Stephanie Morimoto Built a Wellness Brand So Good Venus Williams Invested

Stephanie Morimoto is the owner and CEO of Asutra, a natural beauty company so good that customer Venus Williams approached them to get involved.Asutra offers over 50 organic, natural products – from natural...

Download
2020 / 9 / 15

DTC Darlings: Is Gymshark worth $1.4 Billion?

We discuss:An Income Store court case updateAWAY Travel has a sale, DTC Twitter takes noticeGymShark's billion dollar valuationAnd then we tear down the Gymshark store.Links MentionedIncome Store...

Download
2020 / 9 / 8

How Nomad Goods Went from $150K on Kickstarter to $20mm on Shopify

Noah Dentzel is Co-Founder and CEO of Nomad. Nomad launched in 2012 on Kickstarter with their first product, ChargeCard, a USB cable the size and shape of a credit card designed to keep your phone charged on...

Download
2020 / 9 / 1

Q&A: PageSpeed, Plus, Preparing for Q4

This episode is available as a video interview on YouTube: youtu.be/S3-9NZ1OLV8In this listener Q&A episode aimed at optimizing for Q4, we discuss:Which cart type is bestWhat we're doing differently this...

Download
2020 / 8 / 27

Unlearn Everything: Developing Your Success Mindset

This bonus episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is presented by Rewind.The secret to productivity & success isn't a system, it's a mindset. Metalsmith and entrepreneur Megan Auman returns to The...

Download
2020 / 8 / 25

How Herb'N Eden Marketed Their Way to Sold Out Success

Quinton Lewis sells soap. A lot of soap. So much soap that customers wait weeks for their order to be produced. And he only started in the last few years.Quinton is the co founder of Herb'N Eden. He is...

Download
2020 / 8 / 18

Q4, USPS, Themes, & Joe Biden's Teeth

Also available in live hi-def action on YouTube: youtu.be/khPjZKvOPhsIn this episode:Our Q4 BFCM predictionsWhat's up with USPS?KeySmart's Andy Bedell talks switching themesand we teardown the official Joe...

Download
2020 / 8 / 11

How a Better Brand Voice Built an 8-figure Business

Alex Brown has been launching e-commerce companies for over 5 years, starting with multiple successful crowdfunding campaigns (like Coolbox which ended up on ABC’s Shark). He is best known as CoFounder of the...

Download
2020 / 8 / 4

Get Your Money Right: Bookkeeping, Profitability, & Pre-orders

In this episode, we discuss listener-suggested topics: bookkeeping, profitability, and pre-orders.And then we tear down the official LEGO store.Links MentionedBenchShipScoutCrowdfunderProduct Filter &...

Download
2020 / 7 / 28

How Melita Cyril Achieved Six-figure Sock Sales & Social Impact

A recovering banker and management consultant, Melita Cyril had her eyes (and ears) open for different entrepreneurial ideas during her maternity leave. When her baby boy suffered from eczema and she...

Download
2020 / 7 / 21

Things that Annoy Merchants: Lawsuits, PageSpeed, & Blogging

We discuss what an accessibility lawsuit costs, why Google PageSpeed is our Emperor Palpatine, building better blog pages in Shopify, and finally we tear down the official Minor League Baseball store.Links...

Download
2020 / 7 / 14

Steal Beyoncé's Instagram Strategy

From planning & scheduling your content for Instagram to what does and doesn't work in 2020, our guest today lays out a complete strategy to organic Instagram marketing that anyone can use to market their...

Download
2020 / 7 / 7

The Web has an Accessibility Problem

In today's episode:Why now may be a good time to upgrade your themeThe broken promises of accessibility and what to do about itAnd finally an Away Travel teardown that goes off the railsLinks...

Download
2020 / 6 / 30

Carbon Fiber Kickstarters: Building a Disruptive Manufacturing Business on Shopify

After raising $164,775 on Kickstarter, this husband & wife team is disrupting carbon fiber manufacturing.You'll the hear answers to:How they raised $164,775 on Kickstarter to start their businessHow a revenue...

Download
2020 / 6 / 23

Your Menu Sucks: Navigation Optimization Made Simple

In this episode, we discuss:Kurt's run-in with a KarenHow to optimize your main menu navigation for higher conversionsA spicy website teardown of Chicago condiment institution Marconi FoodsLinks MentionedMain...

Download
2020 / 6 / 16

Crowdfunding $380k for a Better T-shirt

Years ago, Dan Demsky wanted to buy a merino wool t-shirt for travel to lighten his load... and he couldn't find one. It haunted him. He knew this product should exist, and after a business coach told him he...

Download
2020 / 6 / 4

How a University Student Started a 7-Figure Vintage Clothing Business

Through his love of vintage clothing, Rory Westbrook founded True Vintage out of his bedroom while still a student at the University of Portsmouth. Growing quicker than he could have anticipated, True Vintage...

Download
2020 / 6 / 2

Launching a Journal to Make Men Stronger

In this episode, you'll hear how a designer and entrepreneur from the UK turned a personal tragedy into a compelling story and business that has helped thousands of men live better lives.Ollie Aplin is the...

Download
2020 / 5 / 26

Re-Unite Recap

This episode is also available with video on YouTube.Last week at Shopify Re-Unite, a webinar keynote, Shopify's leadership team revealed new and upcoming features. Paul and I attended and will give you the...

Download
2020 / 5 / 21

Why Revenue is a Vanity Metric (and what to watch instead)

Using accounting as a useful business tool is harder than it sounds. Most of us don't really know what we should be looking at or how to interpret it.In today's episode, you'll learn some counter-intuitive...

Download
2020 / 5 / 19

King Kong Apparel: Selling 60,000+ Gym Bags on Shopify

Stefan Gehrig, a former Research Scientist, started King Kong Apparel in 2011 when he was heavily involved in the still-niche sport of CrossFit. Since then, starting with a single (relatively crappy) gym bag...

Download
2020 / 5 / 12

Everyone's Going Online: 2020's Ecommerce Boom

The world is changing, and a core part of that change is everyone and everything finally getting online.Ecommerce is booming. Let's talk through it:We discuss Shopify's Q1 2020 financial reportThe wild...

Download
2020 / 5 / 7

Comedy in Commerce: Help Customers Love You More

In this episode, Shopify merchants will hear how they could be better using humor in their marketing copy (especially email!) to improve conversions.How humor boosts conversionsHow to approach voice of...

Download
2020 / 5 / 5

The Fundamental Truths of Million Dollar Ecom Brands

Our guest today has a long track record with ecommerce: both successes and failures. We're joined by Ryan Daniel Moran, founder of Freedom Fast Lane and Capitalism.com, to discuss what he believes are the...

Download
2020 / 4 / 28

Listener Q&A: Marketing & Retention Edition

In this listener Q&A episode, we answer nine merchant's pressing questions regarding marketing their Shopify stores. We even try something new and call a few experts on the phone to get their answers.Tik Tok:...

Download
2020 / 4 / 21

Shopify SEO: Lessons from the #1 SEO App Developer

Today we're joined by long-time Shopify Partner and SEO app developer Rhian Beutler to discuss your SEO questions.In this Shopify SEO Crash Course, you'll hear the answer to:Do those ‘seo’ apps really...

Download
2020 / 4 / 7

Brian Dean's Shopify SEO Strategy

As we look for more ways to generate quality organic traffic to our stores, SEO will come to mind.In this episode, you'll will hear how to get more search engine traffic to your store.We're joined by an SEO...

Download
2020 / 3 / 26

Surviving & Thriving in Uncertain Times

Today we're joined by a Business owner sharing experience of surviving 3 recessions in 25 years. This episode is about actionable advice.What's the upside of a recession, if any?What strategies do you advise...

Download
2020 / 3 / 24

The Fashion Designer Bringing Latex from Beyonce to Consumers

On this episode, we're joined by Laura Petrielli-Pulice, a fashion designer who has designed for celebrities and icons of art and culture including Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, Katy Perry, and Dita Von...

Download
2020 / 3 / 10

Casting a Voice for Your Brand

Your story is the ultimate way to create an emotional connection with your customers so that they not only become raving fans, they share your story with their friends.In this episode, professional sitcom...

Download
2020 / 2 / 25

Make Your Website Accessible (and Avoid Lawsuits‎)

In this episode, we learn what it means to have an accessible website, why you should care, and how you can benefit.You'll hear the answers to:What does an accessible website mean?Is that the same thing as...

Download
2020 / 2 / 11

A Shiti Story: $1mm/yr Rebranding Coolers

“We had no idea writing the word “SHITI” on a napkin and taping it to an old cooler would have such a following behind it”In 2016, Trevor and Austin Zacny founded SHITI® Coolers with a basic mission: To keep...

Download
2020 / 2 / 4

[Q&A] PPC Traffic & Sales Funnels

In today's listener Q&A episode, you asked, we answered:Should you advertise on Pinterest?What's the deal with financing apps?Remarketing strategies with a new storeWhat is the best sales funnel for a high...

Download
2020 / 1 / 28

Focus on Fun & Profit: What a Firefighter Learned Selling Thousands of Wallets

Jake Starr, a former firefighter, started Recycled Firefighter in 2013 when he noticed decommissioned fire hoses being thrown into the landfill, took some home, and turned it into an iPad case he sold on...

Download
2020 / 1 / 21

An Alleged $75 million Ponzi Scheme

Last Spring, a listener invited me to lunch with the Courtrights, a couple who ran a business that invested in Shopify stores– hundreds of Shopify stores– and offered a guaranteed rate of return to...

Download
2020 / 1 / 14

Serial Success on Shopify

Our guest today is Thomas "Tommy" Tartaglia, the self-described World's Okayest Exerciser, who sold more than $100k in t-shirts with "World's Okayest Exerciser" printed on it last year on Shopify. You'll...

Download
2020 / 1 / 7

Generating Traffic & Revenue in 2020

In this Listener Q&A episode, we talk:Post-purchase email marketingContent strategies when you can't run adsMigrating sales from Amazon to ShopifyNever miss an episodeSubscribe wherever you get your...

Download
2019 / 12 / 30

Manufacture Your Product: Finding the Right Factory Partner

One of the hardest parts of ecommerce entrepreneurship is manufacturing your first product, but as retail and technology has changed, it's also become easier than ever. Today we'll pull back the curtain on...

Download
2019 / 12 / 23

Creating a Socially-conscious Fashion Brand at 22

Emily Jaime is the designer and founder of YIREH. She started the brand early in 2014 (when she was 22 years old!), without a background in fashion or business. She has built her online boutique with the...

Download
2019 / 12 / 17

Differentiate or Die

Today's guest has twenty years of ecommerce experience and believes that "You can't survive as a commodity dropship retailer. You have to differentiate or Amazon will eat your lunch. If not today, then...

Download
2019 / 12 / 10

BFCM Post-Mortem 2019

This episode is also available on YouTube.Shopify merchants broke records with $2.9+ billion in worldwide sales over Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend.In this episode, we unpack the biggest shopping week of...

Download
2019 / 12 / 3

Turning Handmade Wallets into a Million Dollar Business

Ryan Popoff founded a leather goods company after learning leather working as a creative outlet. Bootstrapped and run solo in 2013, Ryan is now leading a team of 12 full-time craftspeople in a 1,400 sq. ft....

Download
2019 / 11 / 26

2020 Presidential Shopify Store Teardowns

This episode is available on YouTube. Watch now: https://youtu.be/mjeP1M5cgEgIts too late to change anything on your store now this close to Black Friday, so instead, lets do something fun and talk about...

Download
2019 / 11 / 21

Turning iPhones Into Hollywood Cameras and Revenue

First we'll hear Dave's journey from Hollywood Producer to High School teacher to international mobile filmmaking seller.At the end of the episode, Dave gives us the crash course on how you can radically...

Download
2019 / 11 / 19

How to Establish a Successful Jewelry Brand

Megan Auman is a jewelry designer, metalsmith, educator and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in selling art through a variety of channels. In this episode, Megan reveals how she built her own...

Download
2019 / 11 / 14

Lessons Learned from 7-figure SMS Marketing

After early success in 2017 with SMS while working at Lumee - Kim Kardashian's favorite selfie case - Jeremy Horowitz went all in on SMS marketing.You'll hear:The advantage of personalizing SMS for your...

Download
2019 / 11 / 12

Black Friday Hot Takes & SEMA Take Aways

You asked, we answered:"So Kurt if you were to start a store what niche would you start in?""You mentioned the importance of building an email list- any practical ideas for how to get people to sign...

Download
2019 / 11 / 7

Your 6-figure Product Launch Blueprint

Ever wonder the best time and day to promote a product or sale? Or what strategy to use to get orders all day long? In this episode, 7-figure Shopify merchant Mark Arruda breaks down the exact strategy he's...

Download
2019 / 11 / 5

Shockingly Good Customer Service

In this episode, 7-figure merchant Tyler 'Sully' Sullivan from Bombtech Golf teaches us his approach to customer service and how his focus "is shocking customers with amazing service so price and repeat...

Download
2019 / 10 / 31

Your 2019 Black Friday Facebook Ads Strategy

In this episode, you'll learn a three stage strategy to set your Facebook ads funnel up for success before and during Black Friday.Facebook Ads are more expensive than ever, and Black Friday is going to bring...

Download
2019 / 10 / 29

Listener Mailbag: Conversion Rate Secrets, Pop-up Optimization, and More

In this episode, we open with a deep dive into conversion rates across devices and traffic sources, and how you can apply that info to your store.This episode is also available as a video interview on...

Download
2019 / 10 / 25

Get 99% open rates – affordably – by leveraging this channel

We've seen SMS drive 20x ROI for our clients, but Shopify merchants have been slow to adopt SMS marketing. If you've been ignoring SMS as a channel, this episode addresses the common objections and risks...

Download
2019 / 10 / 22

The Wriggler: Launching a New Product with No Experience

Aileen McCauley is a mom to two kids, a school psychologist and, together with her husband James, is co-creator of The Wriggler, which is the first portable changing pad for babies and toddlers who wriggle...

Download
2019 / 10 / 15

Shopify vs. Shopify Plus [Listener Mailbag]

In today's episode we open with ecommerce news, Shopify feature updates, and some lingering questions from Klaviyo:BOS.This episode is also available as a video interview on...

Download
2019 / 10 / 8

$38 million in 10 Weeks Selling Hover Boards

Today's guest has had tremendous adventures in ecommerce – from managing Jack Threads' 16-million person list to earning $38mm in 10 weeks selling hover boards – and today he's going to share it all with...

Download
2019 / 10 / 1

Live from Klaviyo:BOS Conference 2019

On September 25th & 26th, Kurt went to Boston to attend Klaviyo:BOS Conference 2019. You'll hear interviews with real merchants using Klaviyo to own their marketing and grow their business, plus learn the new...

Download
2019 / 9 / 27

Set up Klaviyo Like a Pro

Want to know what's working for us with Klaviyo right now? We turn to ecommerce marketing wizard Kurt Bullock to get an update and learn the exact blueprint he uses to achieve 20% revenue increases for...

Download
2019 / 9 / 24

How Ezra Firestone plans to make a million dollars on Black Friday (with this exact blueprint)

In 2018, Ezra Firestone generated $700K over Black Friday, with $100k alone on Thanksgiving for his Shopify store BOOM by Cindy Joseph.This year he plans do 30% more and he's going to tell us exactly...

Download
2019 / 9 / 17

[Q&A] 9 Worries from Merchants Prepping for Q4

In this listener mailbag episode, you'll hear nine questions from merchants preparing for Black Friday:How to manage your app addictionThe power of SMS marketingWhen to update your product...

Download
2019 / 9 / 10

How a Fashion Designer Started a Niche Brand At 21

Rivky Itzkowitz is a 24 year old fashion designer living in NYC. As a practicing Orthodox Jew, she was frustrated at not being able to find modest special occasion wear that actually fit, so she set out to...

Download
2019 / 9 / 3

Homepage Design Made Simple

Who else wants lower bounce rates and higher conversion rates from visitors to their homepage? We discuss: Should your homepage be a squeeze page? What in Turbo theme should be tweaked to improve the mobile...

Download
2019 / 8 / 27

How Tactical Baby Gear Scaled to Seven-Figures

Shopify Plus merchant Tactical Baby Gear is disrupting the booming world of baby products — estimated this year to produce more than $11 billion in revenue worldwide — by specializing in military-style baby...

Download
2019 / 8 / 20

The Boring Ways Seven-Figure Stores Got There

You'll hear the answers to: With all the shiny toys available for merchants, how should you prioritize them? If someone feels totally overwhelmed as a merchant, what’s the one thing they should hire out to...

Download
2019 / 8 / 13

Boredwalk: How a Husband & Wife Team Grew a 'Cult' T-shirt Business

Creative husband and wife team Matt Snow and Meredith Erin, owners of Boredwalk T-Shirts, take us through their entrepreneurial journey building a cult of customers around their lifestyle apparel...

Download
2019 / 8 / 6

Have Your Best Black Friday Ever by Starting Now

Instead of waiting until November to take action, let's discuss what you can do right now to put your store in the best possible position to capitalize on Black Friday sales. You'll hear: high ROI traffic...

Download
2019 / 8 / 2

[BONUS] Effective Facebook Ad Funnels for 2019

Want to know what's working with Facebook ads right now? We turn to ecommerce marketing wizard Kurt Bullock to learn the exact blueprint he uses to achieve 10x returns on ad spend.You'll learn:The exact...

Download
2019 / 7 / 30

Maximizing Your Facebook Ad Budgets

Facebook ads are getting increasingly competitive and expensive– and it's not stopping anytime soon. That's scary for those of us that rely on Facebook ads to power their business and their income. In this...

Download
2019 / 7 / 23

Optimize Everything

In this listener mailbag episode, you'll hear the answers to: What is the biggest factor conversion rate? Where should you send cold traffic? What should go in a email welcome series? What are typical image...

Download
2019 / 7 / 16

How Chubbies Built a Shorts Empire with Content Marketing

What happens creativity and comedy empowers your business? Weekend shorts purveyor Joey Avery, the Ecommerce Content Manager at Chubbies, will tell us what's working when building a shorts empire, and reveal...

Download
2019 / 7 / 9

Profitable & Durable: Staying Small in Business

In this episode, we talk about why we choose to stay small, and the tools we use to maximize efficiency and profits. Ultimately, our goal is to build a business that supports the life we want. A life that...

Download
2019 / 7 / 5

[BONUS] Using YouTube Ads to Drive Awareness & Sales

In this episode, you'll learn how to use YouTube Ads to grow your brand and drive sales from recurring guest Brett Curry, CEO of OMG Commerce, a digital marketing agency and Google Premier Partner. You'll...

Download
2019 / 7 / 2

Sci-fi Books & Rad Leggings

On this show, we've found a common pattern to merchants' entrepreneurial journeys on Shopify. This is not one of those stories. This is the journey of Cesar Torres who turned a merch store for his sci-fi book...

Download
2019 / 6 / 26

Is Apple Business Chat The Future of E-Commerce?

If this show had a mantra, it might be, "People buy from people, not brands." There is no personal commerce channel than conversational commerce. Today, Shopify and Apple announced that Shopify Merchants can...

Download
2019 / 6 / 25

Your Shopify Unite 2019 Recap

Last week Shopify announced their most ambitious features to date at the fourth annual Shopify Unite partner conference. Paul and I attended, and break it down for you here. How Shopify is going after...

Download
2019 / 6 / 14

New to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast?

The journey of an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. It takes more than just grit and determination to succeed - it takes a willingness to do things differently.That's where The Unofficial Shopify...

Download
2019 / 6 / 11

Forming Successful Business Partnerships

In this listener mailbag episode, you'll hear: The hardest decisions we've ever made in our business Why Kurt thinks retail arbitrage is better than dropshipping Why business partnerships are sexless...

Download
2019 / 6 / 4

Six-figure Info Product Sales with Christina Scalera

Four years ago, today's guest found herself dreaming of pursuing a more creative path, and she started to look for alternatives to her in-house legal job. She explored everything from teaching yoga to...

Download
2019 / 6 / 4

Capitalizing on the CBD Gold Rush

Today's guest put his money where his mouth is when he joined ecommerce incubator Chillest Capital to launch and manage direct to consumer brands selling things like premium beef jerky, CBD supplements, and...

Download
2019 / 5 / 28

Listener Mailbag: Paul Punches the Monkey

In today's listener mailbag episode, we discuss topics and questions chosen by you. You'll learn: How the shadiest internet villains illicitly advertise How to advertise when you can't use Facebook or...

Download
2019 / 5 / 21

HOONIGAN: Building a Lifestyle Brand

According to Wikipedia, Hoonigan Industries is "an apparel brand for auto enthusiasts." According to its 20 million fans, it's an car culture movement. Either way, they're on Shopify Plus, and have an...

Download
2019 / 5 / 14

The Problem with Google PageSpeed Insights

Websites should be fast. No one is arguing about that. What constitutes fast has somehow been perverted by an anxiety-inducing score assigned by the cruel mistress known as Google PageSpeed Insights. In this...

Download
2019 / 5 / 10

[BONUS] How Agency Owner Kelly Vaughn Builds Seven-Figure Stores

At the age of 24, she quit her job to freelance full time— and in her first year, she earned $137,000. Joining me in studio is Kelly Vaughn, founder of all-female Shopify agency The Taproom. Kelly will tell...

Download
2019 / 5 / 7

How Julie Elster Generates 10,000 Organic Visitors

Last fall, my wife started a Shopify store and told us the struggle is real in a podcast episode. It became one of our all-time top ten episodes. On May 14th, she returns to the show to update us Just six...

Download
2019 / 4 / 30

Split Tests That Win: How to Start Optimizing Your Shopify Store

In this episode recorded in front of a live audience, CRO Wunderkind Nick Disabato will teach you his exact methodology for winning 67.2% of split-tests over the past five years. Through his consultancy,...

Download
2019 / 4 / 23

Getting Customers for Life through Email

In this episode, you'll learn how the customer experience extends beyond support tickets. Automated emails, on-site messaging, and even the 'from:' name in your emails impact the overall experience more than...

Download
2019 / 4 / 16

Turning Shopify Analytics into Actionable Insights

You can use Shopify's analytics and reports to learn about your sales and customers in great detail. Or you can tear hair out, create unnecessary panic, and make rash decisions. In this episode, we'll break...

Download
2019 / 4 / 9

From 0 to $4 Million with Physical Product Licensing

At 53, Paul Miller began his private label business on Amazon in 2015 selling headphone headbands called CozyPhones. Two years later, he had grown his brand to $4 million in annual revenue. So what happened...

Download
2019 / 4 / 2

MailChimp & Shopify Break Up– Now What?

In the wake of the Shopify x MailChimp breakup, we're talking nothing but email in this episode. You'll hear: What's going on behind the scenes with MailChimp Your options now What drives good open rates A...

Download
2019 / 3 / 26

Being Profitable

Revenue is a great vanity metric, but profit gets you paid. In today's episode, we talk through a simple strategy to get yourself profitable, then brainstorm practical tactics to boost profits. We ask the...

Download
2019 / 3 / 19

How to Run Heatmaps, Facebook Groups, & Your First Store

In this listener-inspired episode, we break down the answers to your questions. You'll hear: How to use Hotjar's free plan to easily conversion rate optimize your store Build your tribe with a Facebook...

Download
2019 / 3 / 12

Google Ads Success in 2019

Google ads is more complex than ever before. Truthfully, it's downright scary if you don't know what you're doing, and an exceptional good way to lose money. Yet if you do know what you're doing, it can...

Download
2019 / 3 / 5

Myth Busting, Finding Your Voice, and Growth Hacks

In our second listener mailbag episode, we answer three topics chosen by you. You'll hear: Myth Busted: Debunking popular merchant myths How to find your blogging voice Growth Hacks: What the big boys are...

Download
2019 / 2 / 26

Bringing The Ultimate Gym Sneaker to Market

Chief Everything Officer and footwear designer Darin Hager couldn’t find the sneaker style he craved at retail. His own designs were hindered by the corporate footwear brands he designed for day in and day...

Download
2019 / 2 / 19

Building a Business for the Life You Want

In our first listener mailbag episode, you told us what to discuss, and we deliver. You'll hear: Podcasting 101: learn everything you need to know to start your own podcast in 10 minutes How to grow your...

Download
2019 / 2 / 12

Pop-up Profits: Actionable Tactics from Collecting 100 million Emails

Learn the current state of on-site conversions from Privy founder Ben Jabbawy. After capturing over 100 million emails with Privy, Ben Jabbawy reveals: The most effective pop-up campaigns (that you probably...

Download
2019 / 2 / 5

Building Perfect Product Pages

Building on our last discussion of the "perfect homepage" we move onto the next step in the sales funnel: Product Detail Pages. In this episode, Paul and Kurt break down tested & proven product detail page...

Download
2019 / 1 / 29

Actionable Analytics: Setting up Google Analytics for Shopify

Most of us have Google Analytics running on our stores. But what are we doing with that? And is it reporting correctly? In this episode, we'll learn how to turn Google Analytics into a powerful business...

Download
2019 / 1 / 22

Building The Perfect Homepage

You can think of your Shopify store's homepage as the storefront of your store. Just because someone walks by, doesn't mean they're going to come in and shop. You have to to present an alluring storefront to...

Download
2019 / 1 / 18

Klaviyo Update: Beyond Black Friday [BONUS EPISODE]

In this brief bonus episode with Klaviyo's senior marketing manager, Alicia Thomas, you'll learn: What seven and eight figures brands are doing differently with their email marketing What you can do to get...

Download
2019 / 1 / 15

The $700K Sale: Steal These Strategies

Shopify wunderkind Ezra Firestone walks us through his $700K holiday sale. DONT MISS THIS EPISODE. We'll find out: How 14,573 of their most engaged subscribers generated the most revenue The breakdown of the...

Download
2019 / 1 / 8

How to Lose Tens of Thousands of Dollars Starting an Online Business

Every year around this time, we see an influx of new people to our community looking to add to their income by starting an ecommerce business. According to a recent article in the Atlantic, "many people turn...

Download
2019 / 1 / 2

Bigger isn't Better: Why Staying Small is The Next Big Thing in Business

Paul Jarvis joins us to explain why he believes the real key to richer and more fulfilling work could be to not create and scale something into a massive corporation, but rather, to work for yourself,...

Download
2018 / 12 / 26

Can You Design Your Way To Success?

Wrapping up the year, my business partner (and producer of this show) Paul Reda joins me to discuss his experiences as a Shopify theme developer with ten years of experience. We'll find out: The dark truth...

Download
2018 / 12 / 18

How an ER Doc Built a Soap Company in 9 Months

This is the story of how a lemonade stand became turned into a successful skincare line. In less than one year, today's guest began manufacturing all-natural soap, sold out of their first 5,000 units on...

Download
2018 / 12 / 11

Lessons from Growing Two 8-figure Companies

Tom Ness is co-founder and former CMO of Truth Nutra and former CMO at Kinobody, and has since left both companies to pursue his new venture, Rugged Naturals - a natural personal care product brand for men....

Download
2018 / 12 / 4

10 Million Views: How to Tell Your Brand's Story With Help from a Professional Screenwriter

You already know the importance of sharing your brand’s story. I've told you over & over on this show, "People buy from people, not brands." Your story is the ultimate way to create an emotional connection...

Download
2018 / 11 / 13

How to Prevent Fraud & Chargebacks

Get a glimpse into the silent crime wave that cost the US economy $16 billion last year: credit card fraud. We'll find out: How fraudsters get ahold of your customers' personal info The various fraud schemes...

Download
2018 / 10 / 30

Black Friday Advertising: Your 5-Phase Blueprint

In last week's episode, Kurt Bullock walked us through tips and strategies to maximize our Facebook ad budgets before the holidays. This week we build on that conversation and learn the five-phases of holiday...

Download
2018 / 10 / 23

Black Friday Advertising: Preparing Your Facebook Ads for #BFCM

Get your products on your customer's minds (and wishlists) this year without blowing a fortune on Facebook ads. Kurt Bullock joins us to discuss the tactics & strategies you need to know to maximize your...

Download
2018 / 10 / 16

What's New in Klaviyo

Klaviyo is the most recommended email marketing platform for Shopify merchants. In this episode, we hear what features are new in Klaviyo that you should implement before the holidays. Plus we discover the...

Download
2018 / 10 / 9

Cowbucker: Starting a Hat Revolution

Today we're hearing from the co-founder of Cowbucker, inventor of "the Bucker," a hat that's part trucker lid and part cowboy brim. According to them, it's "probably mankind's greatest invention." Here's the...

Download
2018 / 10 / 4

My Wife Started a Shopify Store! (BONUS EPISODE)

Less than one month after launching her first Shopify store, I interview Julie Elster about her experience so far. Julie Elster is the owner of the one-month old Disney World-planning info-product empire...

Download
2018 / 10 / 2

Holiday SEO: Leverage the Holiday Search Traffic Spike

It's not too late to drive additional revenue with holiday SEO. And it's easier than you think. In this episode, we walk through each step of the holiday SEO planning process in detail. We'll learn how to...

Download
2018 / 9 / 18

$500k/mo in 4 hours/week: The Story of BombTech Golf

Want to do seven-figures in revenue and work four hours a week? How about getting there in two years? Today's guest has done just that. He's sold 170,000 golf clubs resulting in $6.3 million revenue last year...

Download
2018 / 9 / 11

How To Use Facebook Messenger To Sell Online

Learn how Facebook Messenger marketing with chatbots gets My Wife Quit Her Job's Steve Chou incredible results that blow email marketing out of the water. Steve's getting: Open rates 5X better than...

Download
2018 / 8 / 28

6072 Subscribers in 14 Days: How to Run a Giveaway

Do giveaways work? Are they an an effective strategy for both growing your email list and increasing your sales? Yes! In a published study from ColorIt.com, giving away $447 dollars worth of product resulted...

Download
2018 / 8 / 21

Proven Abandoned Cart Email Tactics

Approximately 70% of your customers will abandon their carts... if you're lucky. That's why the most profitable email marketing workflow you can possibly run is an abandoned cart sequence. In today's episode,...

Download
2018 / 8 / 14

Don’t be a Vending Machine: Going Beyond Rewards to Build Loyalty

Is your business just a vending machine? And is that vending machine on fire? Consider this: Facebook ad costs have gone up substantially since last year. CPM’s have increased on average 35% since last...

Download
2018 / 7 / 31

Bulletproof Your Store: How to Protect Yourself from Data & Security Disasters

In this episode, we’re talking about how to bulletproof your online store from data disasters and security issues that are more common than you think. Mike Potter joins us to discuss. He’s the co-founder and...

Download
2018 / 7 / 24

AR, VR, & 3D: Changing The Way We Shop

Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are no longer the stuff of science fiction. Apple and Google's mobile operating systems already ship with software components to support AR, hardware prices for VR are...

Download
2018 / 7 / 17

Global Ecommerce: How to Go International & Expand Your Reach

(Video of this episode is available on YouTube.) Everyone's looking for the silver bullet to grow their business. Growing globally through internationalization is may just be the only way to get that big...

Download
2018 / 7 / 10

PostedProtein: Bootstrapping from 0 to £250K+

Today's guest did what some people will tell you is impossible. From his kitchen, he built an ecommerce business from 0 to £250K+ in 2 years in a saturated market without borrowing money. UK-based...

Download
2018 / 6 / 26

Scaling Your Store Up: How to go from $500K to $100MM

When you first start your business, that first sale is a big deal. It's proof that your idea is valid. The excitement wears off and the second sale just isn't as exciting. It quickly becomes a game of chasing...

Download
2018 / 6 / 19

Powerful & Practical Content Marketing

Rounding up our four-part series this quarter on content marketing, in this episode, we discuss practical approaches on building relationships with content marketing (and several mistakes you're probably...

Download
2018 / 6 / 12

Becoming Known: The Case for Personal Branding

In today's episode, you'll learn how to sell more, more often with personal branding, an often overlooked strategy that lets you sell person to person at scale by sparking that human connection. Two...

Download
2018 / 6 / 5

Bricks & Clicks: Serial Entrepreneur Dan Cox’s Journey from Retail to Online

Ever meet those entrepreneurial super heroes who can do it all? Today's guest definitely falls into that category. After double majoring in Business and Economics, Dan Cox fell back on his love for athletics...

Download
2018 / 5 / 29

GDPRmageddon: What U.S. Merchants Need to Know

As of May 25th, 2018, the European Union requires companies of all sizes to take steps to help secure personal data rights and more generally protect that data. (And if you don't comply, that'll be a 20...

Download
2018 / 5 / 22

Shopify Unite 2018 Recap: Now What?

Last week, you heard the firsthand announcements from Unite attendees on-site at Toronto. Today, you'll get caught up on what’s new & improved from Shopify, what it means for your store, and how to avoid...

Download
2018 / 5 / 15

Live at Shopify Unite 2018

This week we have a special Shopify Unite edition of the show in which we cover many of the announcements from Unite last week by interviewing the attendees on-site. In early May, Shopify Partners from around...

Download
2018 / 5 / 8

Behind The Scenes at Jay Leno’s Garage

Having a celebrity-endorsed brand and a great product must be like easy mode for ecommerce, right? Maybe not. In today's episode, we learn the behind-the-scenes story on how Jay Leno began selling a complete...

Download
2018 / 5 / 1

Finding your True Fans & Brand Advocates

In this episode, you'll hear about some of the best ways find brand advocates because your affiliate program (or customer referral program) is only as good as its advocates! Arlen Robinson is a seasoned...

Download
2018 / 4 / 24

Customer Service Strategy: Surviving the Worst Customer Situations

In this episode, we're talking customer service. Great customer service can make or break your brand, and your sanity. Joining us to discuss it is a self-proclaimed provider of excellent customer service for...

Download
2018 / 4 / 17

How-to: Automated Email Follow-up Campaigns Made Easy

In this episode, we're talking sales automation. Specifically, how to use simple email sales funnels to automate the process of converting website visitors into new customers & repeat buyers. Catherine...

Download
2018 / 4 / 10

Grow & Convert with Content Marketing

In this episode, you'll learn how to use content marketing to get traffic to your store, specifically, when it works, when it doesn't, and patterns we've noticed in successful content. The warm and...

Download
2018 / 4 / 3

Copywriting Decoded: How to Turn Copy into Conversions

Why is copywriting so hard? It took me years to figure it out. The answer is likely mindset. There are a few mental hurdles you need to get over if you're going to write effective web copy that converts. (And...

Download
2018 / 3 / 27

Launching Lean & Quick: Building Nimble Sites with Galen King

In this episode, you'll learn how to think about launching lean, staying nimble, and growing fast! Galen King from O.G. Shopify agency Lucid joins us to discuss a practical strategic approach to launching new...

Download
2018 / 3 / 20

Good Design with Chris Pointer: How to approach Shopify Themes

For many merchants, design is the single hardest part of setting up and running a Shopify store. Chris Pointer of Pointer Creative has 16+ years of design experience. His agency works exclusively on Shopify...

Download
2018 / 3 / 13

B2B eCommerce MasterPlan: How to Scale Your Business with Wholesale eCommerce

Whether you're a wholesaler looking to start selling to your customers online, a manufacturer wanting to increase the orders coming through your website, or an online retailer looking to branch out into B2B...

Download
2018 / 3 / 6

The Beard King: How a Hairy Sink Launched a 7-figure Business

If coming up with a good product idea is hard, then turning it into a successful brand is harder. Nicholas Galekovic, the entrepreneur behind Beard King, joins us to discuss a journey that went from his...

Download
2018 / 2 / 27

Is dropshipping dead? What successful dropshippers know

"Is dropshipping dead?" That was one of the most common questions I got toward the end of the last year. Here's the thing– I don't know! Is it? Why are you asking me? There are certainly people more suited to...

Download
2018 / 2 / 20

Game of Bluff: Your Internet Law & Copyright Infringement Primer

Doing business online without retaining an Internet lawyer is the equivalent of playing Russian Roulette– things tend not to end well. The days of the Internet being the Wild West are long gone. The empire is...

Download
2018 / 2 / 14

Marriage for Entrepreneurs with Julie Elster (Valentine's Day Bonus)

Ever wonder what it's like to be married to an entrepreneur? Or how a self-employed couple make it work and what the potential pitfalls may be? My wife and I both are business owners who work together, and we...

Download
2018 / 2 / 13

Sourcing: How to find the right factory for your product idea

If you've ever had a brilliant million dollar idea for a product, you've wondered, "How do I get it manufactured?" To do that, you'll need to find a manufacturer who will work with you. And that's where the...

Download
2018 / 2 / 6

Automating the Ultimate Customer Service Experience

As you grow your business, you'll soon need to start delegating things. First is usually fulfillment, and soon after is customer support. So how do you get customer support off of your plate while providing...

Download
2018 / 1 / 23

Validating & Scaling Your Shopify Store using Amazon FBA

The hardest part of building a brand is often attracting an audience. After all, if no one has heard of you, how will you sell to them? That’s why it’s been no surprise to me that over the last two years,...

Download
2018 / 1 / 16

How KeySmart Made $1.3 Million on a Product Launch

When starting out with your store, most folks struggle to get their first sale. Then, if you do find your product-market fit, and get traction in your niche, you set your sites on growing to your first...

Download
2018 / 1 / 9

New Year, New Ads: Facebook Ads Best Practices for 2018

You already know Facebook is the #1 acquisition channel for your online business. We’re seeing clients with 4-6x returns on ad spend using Facebook ads. But Facebook is a rapidly evolving platform. It seems...

Download
2017 / 12 / 26

The Future of Dropshipping: Automating Licensed Apparel

On Shopify, fashion & apparel is the largest vertical. It’s always one of the most difficult. One threat fashion retailers face is purchasing too much inventory. The solution that many merchants choose to...

Download
2017 / 12 / 19

Growing Your List & Revenue With Pop-ups

We’ve talked often on this show about the importance of emails. But leveraging emails as a marketing channel requires having a list of customers and prospects to send those emails to. So what do you do? The...

Download
2017 / 12 / 12

Using Emotion to Optimize Conversions With Talia Wolf

As founder and chief optimizer at GetUplift, Talia Wolf uses emotion, customer-centric research and persuasive design to generate more revenues, leads and sales for businesses. Recently listed as one of the...

Download
2017 / 11 / 14

Hire Better: How to Build a Dependable Tech Team

As your store grows, you will inevitably have to hire freelancers, consultants, or employees for your tech team. It can be an intimidating process that leaves you struggling to keep projects on track. You...

Download
2017 / 11 / 7

$1 million in Year 1: Selling Tutorials on Shopify with RGG EDU

One of the most successful Shopify businesses I've run across doesn't sell any physical goods at all. They sell digital goods and did $1 million in revenue in their first year. Joining us to share his journey...

Download
2017 / 10 / 31

Make Your Own Luck: How Doug Geiger Built a Durable Business

In 2012, Doug Geiger stole his wife’s crockpot, bought $400 worth of lanolin while already in debt, and powered through his own self-doubt and anxiety to start his beard care company. Today, Doug’s products...

Download
2017 / 10 / 24

Overwhelmed: How to be More Productive & Less Stressed

Do you feel overwhelmed? In discussions and surveys from Shopify store owners and listeners of this show, we’ve learned one thing: you feel overwhelmed. That’s the number one answer to the question, “What’s...

Download
2017 / 10 / 10

Growth Multipliers: Steal These Email Campaigns

If you listen to this show, you probably doing some email marketing for your Shopify store. One problem: so does everyone else. It's tough to stand out, and it's certainly tough to innovate with new campaign...

Download
2017 / 9 / 26

Beef Jerky, Gaming, & $100K: The JerkyXP Story

The archetypal internet startup story is this: two room mates start a website out of their dorm room, and rapidly become so successful, going to college doesn't even make sense anymore. I've yet to meet...

Download
2017 / 9 / 19

Shopify Flow: How-to Automate Everything

If you’ve ever worked with me on something, then you know I love automation. All kinds of automation. My house is loaded with home automation gadgets, and my business has been built on marketing...

Download
2017 / 9 / 5

The Business of Fashion: Using Personas & Calendars to Grow

If there’s one industry that’s harder than most to market, it’s fashion. Why is it so intrinsically difficult to market a fashion store? And if we know why, what can we do about it? Joining us to break it...

Download
2017 / 8 / 22

Small Data: How to Increase Revenues with Customer Research

In the last several years, big data has been a buzzword. But big data is just that: big. It can be overwhelming. Today we’re going to talk about small data: customer research. Customer research is vital to...

Download
2017 / 8 / 15

Sourcing the Future: How One Man Brought Smart Jackets to Market

It’s 2017, forget about flying cars, where are our smart clothes? Today’s guest is making smarter clothes Peter Netzel of Kelvin Techstyles joins us today to discuss his journey. He drops a megaton knowledge...

Download
2017 / 8 / 8

Embracing Video: How Tactical Baby Gear Grew 5x with Video

If this show had a mantra, it might be "People buy from people, not brands." I've certainly said it enough times because I believe firmly in the power of selling H2H, human to human. I've seen solopreneuer...

Download
2017 / 7 / 25

4X Your Black Friday Emails with Segmentation

Last week we heard from Kaleigh Moore on ecommerce trends that will optimize your store in preparation for Black Friday One of the suggestions from that episode that got most excited was the idea of a buyer’s...

Download
2017 / 7 / 18

eCommerce Trends You Need to Boost Sales Before Black Friday

The year is half over, which means the holidays will be upon us before we know it. The summer, right now, is the time to start preparing for the holidays. One way to prepare is to look at what’s working for...

Download
2017 / 7 / 11

How to Get Better Traffic, Free with Semantic Data

Everyone wants better ranking but that’s not really what they want. Stores want more traffic. They want that because it leads to sales. Sales is what really matters. All of SEO is just a marketing channel to...

Download
2017 / 6 / 20

The Vivian Lou Story: How One Mom Quit Her Job to Sell Insoles on HSN

In speaking with Shopify entrepreneurs, there are definite patterns that appear in successful stores A common one is having a product that solves a pain or problem for people Today’s guest sells one product...

Download
2017 / 6 / 13

Pad & Quill: How an Award-winning Business Started With $1,200

If you own a tablet or iPad, you’ve probably shopped for a case for it. And if you bought a case for it, did you ever run across beautiful leather cases that looked like books? If so, you and I have the same...

Download
2017 / 5 / 30

How to Take Your Email Marketing to the Next Level

In April during our Unite coverage, I had dinner with Carson McComas, the owner of Shopify Plus agency Fuel Made, and we got to talking about our mutual love of marketing automation, and specifically...

Download
2017 / 5 / 9

The Pet Care Card: How a 21-year-old Built a Six-figure Business

Your pets are a part of your family, but when the adults go to work, and the kids are at school, your pets are left home alone. So what happens to them if something happens to you? That's what a 21-year-old...

Download
2017 / 5 / 4

Shopify Unite 2017 Pt.3

Part three of our special Shopify Unite edition of the show in which we cover many of the announcements from Unite last week by interviewing the attendees on-site. On April 20th, a thousand Shopify Partners...

Download
2017 / 5 / 3

Shopify Unite 2017 Pt.2

Part two of our special Shopify Unite edition of the show in which we cover many of the announcements from Unite last week by interviewing the attendees on-site. On April 20th, a thousand Shopify Partners...

Download
2017 / 5 / 2

Shopify Unite 2017 Pt.1

This week we have a special Shopify Unite edition of the show in which we cover many of the announcements from Unite last week by interviewing the attendees on-site. On April 20th, a thousand Shopify Partners...

Download
2017 / 4 / 25

Free Up Your Business: Delegating & Hiring with Connor Gillivan

Many Shopify store owners are bootstrapped solopreneurs, which means you’re handling everything in your business. As your business grows, you may want to delegate tasks, to give yourself free time to do focus...

Download
2017 / 4 / 18

Urbain: How a 20-year-old Entrepreneur from Minneapolis Earns a 3x ROI on Facebook

Logan Ketterling is a 20-year-old entrepreneur from Minneapolis who combined his passions for fashion, storytelling, and online marketing to launch a successful jewelry business. Logan's brand Urbain creates...

Download
2017 / 4 / 11

Ecommerce SEO in 2017: Smart Marketing Strategies from John Doherty

Free traffic from Google through SEO can be a pillar of success for your Shopify store. Unfortunately, SEO advice is often general, not actionable, and sometimes wrong. As a result, it's tough to find 'real'...

Download
2017 / 4 / 4

Shopping Cart Migration: Planning Your Move to Shopify

Today on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast we’re talking about migrating to Shopify If you already have an ecommerce website or are using a different ecommerce platform for your business, it is important to make...

Download
2017 / 3 / 28

Getting People Talking About Your Brand (Even if you're not an Influencer)

Pop-Quiz: Which marketing channel is the most effective and costs the least? Answer: Word of mouth. Today, David Fallarme joins us in this actionable episode to discuss the essentials behind successful word...

Download
2017 / 3 / 21

Writing Effective Sales Copy with Sean McCabe

You may have a great product, but it's not going to sell itself. If you can’t convince someone your product is the right one for them, it doesn’t matter how good it is. Nobody’s going to buy. Maybe you can...

Download
2017 / 3 / 7

Fueled by Death: How Death Wish Coffee Earned a Spot In The Super Bowl

In 2012, Death Wish Coffee Co. was started in a small coffee shop in Saratoga Springs, NY. Founder, Mike Brown, saw a need for coffee that was both strong and delicious to serve his groggy, morning customers....

Download
2017 / 2 / 28

How Peter Friis crowdfunded more than $200K without Kickstarter

Let me warn you now: you'll want to have a notepad ready before listening to this episode, because it may be our most actionable ever. Peter Friis is CEO and co-founder of ESSIO, the world's first...

Download
2017 / 2 / 21

Peter Keller: Growing a Crossfit Store Explosively Without Paid Ads

Peter founded Fringe Sport out of his garage in 2010 and grew it to 7 figures in revenue in 18 months. Now he is CEO of Fringe Sport, focused on bringing Great Products with Great Prices and World Class...

Download
2017 / 1 / 17

Embracing Controversy: How This Bikini Startup Went Viral

Of all the store owners I hear from with thoughts on finding & engaging customers on social media, Candice Galek, CEO and Founder of Bikini Luxe is by far one of the most impressive. In under two years, she...

Download
2016 / 12 / 20

We Built a Shopify App for Fun & Profit

One of the best things about Shopify is its extensibility and the ecosystem that goes along with it. Recently we released our first (and currently only) Shopify app, and wanted to share that experience with...

Download
2016 / 12 / 13

Sell More with Email Autoresponders

Klaviyo's Chad Vanags joins us to explain just how easy it's become to use data-driven personalization in your email marketing to make more money on autopilot. He breaks down what email flows consistently...

Download
2016 / 12 / 6

Expanding your Ecommerce Business on Amazon with Kiri Masters

Kiri is the CEO and founder of Bobsled Marketing, an Amazon marketing agency that has changed the way businesses sell and promote their products in the online marketplace. The agency was launched in 2015,...

Download
2016 / 12 / 1

Profitable Facebook Ads & Audiences Decoded with Kurt Bullock

Facebook is giving us more ways than ever to quickly and inexpensively generate custom audiences. As a busy store owner, learning to navigate Facebook's myriad of advertising options effectively can be a...

Download
2016 / 11 / 1

Get Wallet-out Google Shopping Traffic with Brett Curry

Google Shopping ads are one of the leading traffic sources that can give you the ultimate edge. This hidden gem is often overlooked by store owners (and your competition.) Brett Curry, author of The Ultimate...

Download
2016 / 10 / 25

A/B Testing: Is it a 'sack of money' button?

What's a good conversion rate? One that's better than last month. But how did you get there? Nick Disabato has built a career on research-focused A/B testing. Over the past year, he's helped Shopify Plus...

Download
2016 / 10 / 11

Violent Little Machine Shop: Morale Patches & a Mindset for Success

Today's guest runs the least politically correct store we've come across, and we love it. Yanne Root, founder of Violent Little Machine Shop, has made a business out of inappropriate morale patches. In this...

Download
2016 / 9 / 20

From the Detroit Tigers to Shirt Maker: Steven Fisher's Story

In this episode we're talking to Steven Fisher, Co-Founder and CEO at State & Liberty Clothing Company, about his journey and meteoric rise to success. Prior to founding the company, Steven graduated from the...

Download
2016 / 9 / 6

Tactical Diaper Bags & Side Hustles with Beav Brodie

"You can play video games all day if you want, but I'm busting my ass, I want to build an empire." That's what Beav Brodie told me about his journey building his Shopify store TacticalBabyGear.com, an amazing...

Download
2016 / 8 / 23

Optimizing for Retention & Repeat Purchases with Eric Davis

Building a base of loyal and repeat customers is a top goal of many Shopify stores. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find what characteristics these valuable customers share so stores end up with weak,...

Download
2016 / 7 / 12

Cross-sells & Upsells with Ezra Firestone of SmartMarketer

Ezra says, "If you have a business driven by the ad model, you MUST understand upsells, cross sells... it's what's allowed us to grow to $1.5million/month." Ezra Firestone is a partner in BOOM! by Cindy...

Download
2016 / 7 / 5

Designing Products & 3D Printing with Dorian Ferrari

What's the best product to sell? Your own! Most people have likely had an idea for a product they'd like to make, but that's all they have: an idea. We don't know what to do next. In today's episode, I talk...

Download
2016 / 7 / 2

Listener Mailbag: "What are 5 must have plug ins / apps?"

In this listener mailbag episode, I discuss the must have apps for your Shopify store. As you'd expect, it's opinionated, but only five minutes. Have a question you'd like answered? Subscribe to my newsletter...

Download
2016 / 6 / 28

Market Research Made Easy with Joe from BluShark Straps

Ever experience a crappy product and think, "I can do that better!" That's what happened to Joe Scarpati. When faced with a nylon watch strap that didn't meet his expectations, he decided to do something...

Download
2016 / 5 / 24

No Bull Marketing & Making Money Online with Matt Giovanisci

Can you build a profitable brand by ignoring all that online marketing bullshit? Today's guest, Matt Giovanisci, believes you can, and intends to prove it. Matt is the creator of Swim University and a...

Download
2016 / 5 / 3

How Andy Bedell Tripled Revenue With Facebook Video Ads

"The first time we ran video ads, sales immediately tripled." Andy has been running PPC ads for a while, but struck gold about a year ago with Facebook video ads. After just 2 weeks of running video ads he...

Download
2016 / 4 / 26

Jay Myers: What Successful Shopify Storeowners Know

Jay Myers is one of the co-founders of Bold Commerce. He has a long history in ecommerce and uses that to help build some of the best apps on Shopify. Currently he heads up marketing at Bold, and works very...

Download
2016 / 4 / 5

John McIntyre: Automating Email Campaigns To Win Customers

Email marketing can be HUGE for ecommerce stores and online retailers. Problem is, most companies do it wrong. Or they just don’t do it at all. Joining us to unpack email marketing is John McIntyre. John...

Download
2016 / 3 / 29

Nate Murray: The Mindset to 42 Shopify Stores

"We all have the currency of time that we can't get back, so where do we invest it?" Nate Murray is the founder of Merchline. Merchline is "Official Online Storefront Fulfillment Provider & Screenprinter to...

Download
2016 / 3 / 22

Rand Fishkin on SEO for Ecommerce Websites

One of the most misunderstood aspects of any online business is SEO. (And that’s for several reasons that I could do an episode on alone but I won’t.) Instead, we talk to a guest that I’m honored to have,...

Download
2016 / 3 / 8

How Beardbrand Built a Better Business by Building Community

We talk with Eric Bandholz of Beardbrand on how we went from community to business. Growing slowly and organically at first, and eventually blowing up into a bearded sensation that's sparked copycats and...

Download
2016 / 2 / 23

Mindzai: How to Start a Designer DIY Toy Business

"If I was 95 and selling toys, would I be happy? Yea!" -Chris Tsang on finding your passion Chris Tsang is the founder of Mindzai, a designer toy store and toy design company. Chris started his company in his...

Download
2016 / 2 / 16

Jake Starr: The Recycled Firefighter

Jake Starr, a 12 yr veteran firefighter, always enjoyed making his own gear by hand. He worked with leather and fashioned gear that included backpacking hammocks. After joining the Louisville fire department,...

Download
2016 / 2 / 9

Stitch People: Building a Tribe

"We don't know anything about marketing." That's what one entrepreneurial couple with a successful niche store and growing community of brand evangelists told me. They may think they know nothing about...

Download
2016 / 1 / 26

Drunk User Testing with Richard Littauer

Richard is the brains and the stomach behind The User Is Drunk, a site set up a few months ago to help people learn just how their site looks to a drunk person. Here is his process: Richard gets drunk, looks...

Download
2016 / 1 / 19

Neil Patel: Triple Your Email Opt-In Rate with Lead Magnets

Our topic today is using lead magnets to triple your email opt-in rate! An important topic because every online entrepreneur is in the business of list building. But that old opt-in form in your footer won’t...

Download
2016 / 1 / 5

Customer Retention: How to Keep Customers Coming Back

To build a sustainable ecommerce business, getting customers to buy should only be the start of a much longer relationship. Retaining customers (and turning them into brand evangelists) is the secret of...

Download
2015 / 12 / 29

Alex O'Byrne: 100 Orders on the First day

Alex O'Byrne recently launched the new Negative Underwear website, which took an astonishing 100 orders on the first day alone, followed by 7000 unique visits in just 5 days. A fantastic achievement that any...

Download
2015 / 12 / 22

Entrepreneur's Journey: How Diana House Started an Industry

Diana is an authenticity driven entrepreneur who is constantly seeking, creating, developing, growing and learning. She is passionate about business, personal development, wellness, travel, spirituality,...

Download
2015 / 12 / 15

Masterminds: The Entrepreneur's Secret Weapon

I owe much of my business success to my Mastermind group– I credit being in a mastermind with boosting my revenue 10x. So what is a Mastermind, how do they work, and why or how should you join one? To answer...

Download
2015 / 12 / 8

Small Business Accounting 101: Hiring a Bookkeeper

The year is almost over, and that means one thing: time to get your books in order! With running a business, you already know you need to stay on top the accounting that goes along with running a store. ...

Download
2015 / 11 / 24

Make Stuff Happen: The Power of Side Projects

Joining us is friend and colleague Keir Whitaker. Keir works at Shopify as their Designer Advocate. Like us, he's also had a lot of side projects. In this episode we discuss: What's a side project, why have...

Download
2015 / 11 / 17

Get Specific: The Power of Positioning

Want to stop competing against Amazon and everyone else? Consultant Philip Morgan will teach us how to use hyper-specific positioning to make that happen. In this episode, you'll hear how to position your...

Download
2015 / 11 / 10

Get Real with Paul Jarvis: Being Authentic in Marketing

Joining our episode is special guest Paul Jarvis, a self-described freelancer evangelist who teaches creatives & freelancers how to make their businesses work on their own terms. Paul's worked with companies...

Download
2015 / 11 / 3

Word of Mouth Marketing: How To Build a Profitable Refer-a-Friend Program

"A trusted referral is the Holy Grail of advertising." - Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO Why doesn't everybody do referral marketing, then? Why isn't it more popular? Because referral marketing is notoriously...

Download
2015 / 10 / 20

Gavin Ballard: Finding the Right Apps for Your Store

If you've ever run a Shopify store you've almost certainly taken a stroll through the Shopify App Store and installed some of the Apps on offer. But what are Shopify Apps, really? And how can store owners...

Download
2015 / 10 / 15

Ready for Christmas? Holiday Ecommerce Tips & Tricks [BONUS]

We've got a mini bonus episode for you on getting your store ready for the holidays! The holidays are a stressful time. Your in-laws fly in for a long visit, the weather is lousy, you spend more than you...

Download
2015 / 10 / 6

3 Mindset Shifts to Double Your Business

After a brief hiatus, we're back with season 2 of TUSP! Last month, I spoke at The Double Your Freelancing Conference that took place in Norfolk. It gave me the opportutinity to pick the brains of a lot of...

Download
2015 / 8 / 31

Liston Witherill: Research & Copywriting Secrets for Massively Boosting Conversions

Have you wondered why your store doesn’t get more conversions? There are two types of businesses: 1) the kind that intimately understand their customers, and 2) the kind that shoot aimlessly and occasionally...

Download
2015 / 8 / 24

Social Media Strategy For Dummies

New store owners often look to social media to kickstart their marketing efforts, yet rarely succeed. To help break the social mediocrity that most brands engaged in, we talked with Mojca Marš from...

Download
2015 / 8 / 17

Business Brokers: How to buy or Sell my Shopify Store?

Ever wonder how to buy or sell a website? We did, so we talked to David Newell, an experienced business broker. David is Brokerage Director at FE International. Starting out as an banker, he moved online to...

Download
2015 / 8 / 10

"How do I SEO my Shopify store?" For Dummies

Yesterday I spent the whole day at the Shopify Retail tour. They'd invited me, along with a few other folks, to answer questions about Shopify and Ecommerce from existing and potential Shopify customers. From...

Download
2015 / 7 / 27

Don't Break The Chain: A Guide to Customer Lifecycle Marketing

What happens when a new visitor hits your website? They don't buy. And that's okay! In this episode, we skip the guest interviews, and instead Paul and Kurt talk through the strategies and tactics involved in...

Download
2015 / 7 / 13

Step on The Gas: Jordan Gal on Building Successful Ecommerce Businesses

Jordan Gal is the Co-Founder and CEO of CartHook, an effective abandoned cart recovery solution. CartHook tracks and captures the email addresses of visitors going through your checkout process. When a...

Download
2015 / 5 / 28

Josh Highland: Shopify Empire

Josh Highland Giese Better known as Josh Highland, owns and operates Venntov.com, a software and services company focused on the Shopify platform. Venntov.com has been a certified Shopify Expert since 2011...

Download
2015 / 5 / 7

Zach Weiss, worn&wound, Affordable Watch Strap King

Zach is a lifelong watch collector and has the stash of scratched up Swatches to prove it. He holds a B.A. from Bard College in Studio Arts and a Masters of Design in Designed Objects from the School of the...

Download
2015 / 2 / 10

Following Your Passion & Making the Jump

This week we talk with Jeff Sheldon from Ugmonk. It all started with a simple idea – design fresh high-quality unique items. Just one month after Jeff had graduated college, married his high-school...

Download
2015 / 2 / 2

United Pixelworkers: A Post Mortem

This episode is a little bit different in that we talked to the owner of a closed but beloved Shopify store called United Pixelworkers. UPW sold a collection of niche t-shirts for graphic designers and web...

Download
2014 / 10 / 15

How One Man Quit His Job To Sell Wallets Featured in GQ

Ever dream of quitting your 9-5 job to do your own thing? How about manufacturing your own product and selling it direct to consumer? That's what Kyle Bardouche did. But get this, he launched 7 different...

Download
2014 / 9 / 11

Michael DiMartini, Everest Bands creator, talks Kickstarter success

Michael DiMartini from Everest Bands come on the show to chat and share his success with us. He's gone from failed businesses to two successful Kickstarter campaigns and an amazing product line sold through...

Download