Beta
Logo of the podcast The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

The Unofficial Shopify Podcast (Kurt Elster, Paul Reda)

Explorez tous les épisodes de The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Plongez dans la liste complète des épisodes de The Unofficial Shopify Podcast. Chaque épisode est catalogué accompagné de descriptions détaillées, ce qui facilite la recherche et l'exploration de sujets spécifiques. Suivez tous les épisodes de votre podcast préféré et ne manquez aucun contenu pertinent.

Rows per page:

1–50 of 477

DateTitreDurée
11 Dec 2018Lessons from Growing Two 8-figure Companies00:54:03

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. Tom is a self-taught, self-starter with a passion for building companies that create a positive impact. He has helped scale two companies from inception to nearly 8 figures in revenue apiece, impacting hundreds of thousands of lives around the world.

We'll find out:

  • The hallmarks of a brand with 8-figure potential
  • Why selling in spite of your website represents a tremendous opportunity
  • How one book (Ask) was a game-changer for their business
  • Tom's "opportunity checklist" for identifying great businesses
  • What to focus on when scaling (and the number one problem faced by most marketers)

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

Special Offers from our Sponsors

18 Oct 2022AMA OCTOBER00:44:07

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 BFCM
  • App recommendations for promos
  • Plus data, design, and business decisions.
20 Mar 2018Good Design with Chris Pointer: How to approach Shopify Themes00:48:29

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 and has produced custom themes for the NY Times, Death Wish Coffee, and others. In this episode, he teaches us how to approach design, communicate what we want to designers, and when & why to go totally custom.

You'll Learn

  • Why design matters and what makes it hard
  • How to make talking about design easier
  • Ways to work better with a designer or agency
  • When & why to go custom and what it'll cost

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

23 Apr 2019Getting Customers for Life through Email00:44:44

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 you might realize.

You'll hear:

  • How a welcome series can make or break your brand
  • The business case for personal branding
  • When not to send promo emails
  • The email framework that will make you more money.

Val Geisler is ridiculously obsessed with email. An Email Marketing Conversion Copywriter and Strategist, Val spent over a decade on the inside of companies from non-profits to 7-figure businesses to tech startups. She brings her background in content creation, customer experience, and digital strategy to her incredible clients every day. Email isn't dead, and Val is here to help you bring yours back to life.

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

03 May 2016How Andy Bedell Tripled Revenue With Facebook Video Ads00:34:37

"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 was able to triple the revenue of a large Shopify store.

Now he has set up thousands of ad campaigns, and he has discovered a formula for telling good stories that make great video ads. He spills the beans on that formula so you can make profitable Facebook video ads for your Shopify store.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Learn:

  • Learn why the most successful sites have only a few SKUs.
  • Best practices for video ad
  • The formula for crafting effective video ads
  • The optimal length for a video ad
  • Which tools can make video ads easily
  • And the one thing most video advertisers get wrong

Links:

  • Andrew's Course: http://www.fbvideocourse.com
  • FB Best Practices for Video: https://m.facebook.com/business/news/updated-features-for-video-ads
  • Plainly Simple Studios: https://www.plainlysimplestudios.com/

TUSP Exclusives

27 Jul 2021Q&A: Online Store 2.000:50:32

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 differently with FB Ads since the Apple privacy update?
  • How to structure content for landing pages
  • How to promote subscriptions
  • Establishing free shipping minimums

...and more. Somewhat more. Most of it is even Shopify related.

Show Links

Resources:

Tools:

Stores:

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

14 Jan 2020Serial Success on Shopify00:59:50

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 hear:

  • Why Amazon is a double-edged sword
  • How offline events helped jumpstart their business
  • The synergistic warehouse space they established
  • How planning was game changing for Tommy's success (and how you clone it)
  • Tommy's practical approach to mindfulness
  • Where you should start with a new business

Thomas Tartaglia has a bunch of degree's from various colleges, a significant amount of time in the Military, and a handful of years trying to figure out E-Commerce. He relies on other people to make himself look good.

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

24 Sep 2024Top Pickleball Creator's Video Content Strategy00:49:11

"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 the fast-growing world of pickleball.

🎯 Episode Highlights:

  1. Connor's transition from tennis to pickleball during the pandemic.
  2. How Connor’s first product sold over $1,000 a day on Amazon.
  3. The viral content strategy that grew his YouTube channel to 100 million views.
  4. Building a six-figure business without paid advertising.
  5. Insights into product development and scaling an e-commerce brand.
  6. Connor’s advice on leveraging social media to drive brand growth.
  7. The importance of learning from industry experts and peers.

👤 About Connor Hance:
Connor Hance, a former D1 tennis player for UCLA, stumbled into the world of pickleball during the pandemic. What started as a casual interest quickly turned into a thriving business. Today, Connor is known as the #1 content creator in the pickleball community, with his brand Enhance Pickleball dominating both on Amazon and across social media platforms. From his early days taping pickleball courts at his parents’ tennis facility to launching a successful line of pickleball products, Connor’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and smart content strategy.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

05 Sep 2017The Business of Fashion: Using Personas & Calendars to Grow00:52:42

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 down is Jacklyn Deans.

Jacklyn Deans is the Founder and Principal eCommerce Consultant at Flash + Color.

Flash + Color helps Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle brands establish and expand their businesses online.

With over 15 years of eCommerce and Digital Marketing experience, she advises brands on how to exponentially increase sales, boost engagement, and create loyal customers.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via Email

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Work with Kurt

Learn:

  • What are the top mistakes Fashion, Beauty, and Lifestyle eCommerce businesses make?
  • Why & how you NEED to create great buyer personas?
  • Jacklyn’s secret for getting market research for free.
  • Why is it so important to make a Marketing Calendar for your business?
  • What are the elements of a good marketing Calendar?

Links Mentioned chronologically:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

06 Oct 2020How Nomad Goods Drives Seven-figures Revenue Through Klaviyo00:47:26

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 abandoned cart flows for personalized content
  • The right ratio of plain text vs HTML emails
  • The most important thing to split test

Chuck started his post college life working in the world of ecommerce and marketing and quickly made the leap into the realm of UX/ID. Over the course of a few years he was privileged to consult on projects with companies like GoPro, Mozilla, and LG. Thanks to retail experience he brought a unique perspective regarding consumer electronics and a desire to make navigating the world a simpler, more enjoyable experience.

In 2015 Chuck returned to marketing, advertising, and growth with a broader appreciation for aesthetics and usability. During his tenure at Nomad he has established a strong foundation in advertising, email marketing, affiliate marketing, PR, and influencer marketing.

When not working, you can find Chuck adventuring, fishing offshore, or in the kitchen.

Links Mentioned

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

17 May 2022Understanding Influencer Product Seeding00:42:41

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 influencer marketing agency.

Prior to co-founding Kynship, Cody worked at QALO, the brand that created the silicone wedding ring, where he built out a robust influencer program of 500+ influencers, all through the foundation of seeding. This included contracting thousands of micro-influencers in a variety of industries to produce monthly UGC and organic posts, while also working with household names such as Lebron James, Jason Aldean, Mike Trout, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

23 Jun 2020Your Menu Sucks: Navigation Optimization Made Simple01:00:53

In this episode, we discuss:

  • Kurt's run-in with a Karen
  • How to optimize your main menu navigation for higher conversions
  • A spicy website teardown of Chicago condiment institution Marconi Foods

Links Mentioned

Main Menu examples: KeySmart, Hoonigan, Proven Winners Direct

Teardown: Marconi Foods

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

10 Sep 2024Inside the Shadowy World of Returns Fraud00:53:44

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 gaming the system and the wild, often unnoticed, methods they're using to rip off small businesses. Brace yourself for a journey into the less-talked-about side of your shopping cart. Join us as we explore the critical steps needed to combat this growing challenge.

Show Links

  • nofraud.com - check out their blog which has resources on return fraud, covering all the different types & prevention strategies

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

21 Jun 2022The Most Controversial Way to Get Subscribers00:44:03

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, what are the risks and ROI?

Our guest should know, after all he's an email marketing veteran with a successful exit under his belt.

We're joined by Adam Robinson, founder and CEO of GetEmails, which he's bootstrapped to 10m ARR in 24 months with six people. Prior to GetEmails, Adam was the founder/CEO of Robly Email Marketing, which was bootstrapped and he exited for 8 figures to private equity in 2020.

Show Links

  • getemails.com - We'll give you 25% off for the first 3mo ... just use the offer code UNOFFICIAL when you sign up.

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

11 Apr 2017Ecommerce SEO in 2017: Smart Marketing Strategies from John Doherty00:50:00

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' experts.

Today we're talking with John Doherty about ecommerce-specific tactics to grow your organic search traffic.

John is the founder of GetCredo.com, a company that connects great companies with the right marketing expert for their needs. He's also a freelance digital marketing consultant. In the past, he ran growth marketing at Trulia Rentals, marketing for HotPads.com, and worked for SEO agency Distilled in New York City.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Learn:

  • The highest-leverage things ecommerce stores can do for SEO (that many get wrong)
  • How long does SEO take to work?
  • The right way to think about SEO when getting a new project/site off the ground
  • How to compete against the big players like Amazon and Zappos
  • When you should hire out for SEO?

Links:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

28 Sep 2021Connected Retail: Bridging Offline & Online Stores00:43:37

This episode is for you if...

  1. 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.
  2. OR you have a Shopify store and a Point-of-Sale but they don't talk, then you'll want to listen to the whole episode.

Lots of industry analysis and insight in this one from our guest Kevin McKenzie, the CEO of SKU IQ.

Aside from saving owners a ton of time avoiding the end of day double data entry across to systems that don’t normally connect, Kevin has a seriously impressive resume. As Chief Digital Officer at Westfield, he oversaw the development of all digital strategy and omni-channel initiatives. Before that, he was Sr VP of CNET Shopping.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

04 Oct 2018My Wife Started a Shopify Store! (BONUS EPISODE)00:40:56

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 Double Your WDW.

In 2015, she achieved viral success among freelancers when she started (and just ended) Just Tell Julie, an accounts receivable service.

We'll find out:

  • what’s working & what’s not,
  • her marketing plan,
  • the unexpected reaction from family and friends,
  • her unfair advantages,
  • why she had to blow up her last business,

...and more in this candid interview in our pajamas.

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

Sponsors

28 Jun 2016Market Research Made Easy with Joe from BluShark Straps00:39:35

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 about it.

But not before some research to ensure his success.

Joe’s background is in market research, which he has leveraged to offer watch enthusiasts a better nylon watch strap through his company, BluShark.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Learn:

  • Learn why the most successful sites have only a few SKUs.
  • Why the most successful stores figure out a mathematical formula on how to market.
  • How to turn your angriest customer into raving fans
  • What are the future big opportunities of ecommerce?
  • FirstName’s #1 tip for The Unofficial Shopify Podcast.
    Product number doesn’t matter,

Links:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

11 May 2021How Kettle & Fire Scaled Affiliate Relationships to 7-figures00:44:35

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 influencers
  • How to get big influencers' attention
  • The difference between affiliate and ambassador programs
  • What are you paying for? Defining influencer deliverables and typical costs
  • Creating a VIP experience for brand ambassadors
  • Top 3 Most Successful Channels

Our guest today is Jack Meredith, VP of Marketing at Kettle & Fire, one of the fastest growing brands in the health & wellness consumer goods space. He was employee #1 and played an instrumental role in taking the brand from zero to 8 figures in revenue. Aside from his day job, Jack also consults for DTC brands on all things marketing and growth.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

11 Jun 2024Slumberkins: From Craft Fairs to Shark Tank00:51:08

Also available with video on Youtube: https://youtu.be/-qxIqPtAYhE

Join us as we explore the journey of Kelly Oriard and Kaylee Christensen, founders of Slumberkins, an emotional wellness brand dedicated to fostering children's self-esteem and mindfulness.

  • Learn how these educators-turned-entrepreneurs brought Bigfoot and Sloth to life and navigated high-stakes environments like Shark Tank and the Silicon Valley Bank crash.
  • Discover how their focus on transparency, authenticity, and community support transformed challenges into opportunities, leading to a TV show with the Jim Henson Company.
  • Tune in to hear their practical strategies for building a resilient brand in the children's market and how they balance creativity and business.

Subscribe now for insightful stories and actionable advice.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

04 Feb 2025Building Frizz + Co: Haircare, Shopify, and Community00:46:52

Building Frizz + Co: Haircare, Shopify, and Community

Daphné 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 to her bold in-person events, Daphne shares how she’s making haircare personal—and real.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • Why Daphne left accounting to launch Frizz + Co.
  • How her personal hair struggles inspired a hero product.
  • The scrappy marketing tactics that worked (and the ones that didn’t).
  • How in-person events became her secret growth weapon.
  • Lessons from bootstrapping, product seeding, and building a Shopify brand.

Links Mentioned:

Sponsors:

CTA:
Subscribe for more Shopify insights and stories like this! [Insert subscription link]

21 May 2024Katanas, Candy, & a Billion Views00:41:03

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DFUi5Cq8Yuo

We'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 swords, he's become bearish on the platform and gone all in on YouTube Shorts. Isaac's ingenious marketing on YouTube Shorts has racked up a billion views and millions of subscribers. More recently, Isaac has built a manufacturing facility in LA and begun producing his own line of candy called Kanpai Foods. It's a tale of adaptability, understanding market dynamics, and seizing opportunities that others might miss. Get ready to unwrap layers of insights, from viral content creation to the real pains of launching a consumer goods brand.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

15 Dec 2020Shipageddon, Cyber Monday, & Simulated Chicken01:01:11
10 Dec 2024Smart Marketer Live Recap00:43:58

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, featuring attendee interviews that explore themes like artificial intelligence in business, strategic reinvestment, and the evolving role of mindset in small business success.

Sponsors

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Never miss an episode

18 Mar 2025The Store That Won March Madness00:46:35

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 women-owned businesses licensed for NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) merch on Shopify. This March, their Shopify sales are up 74.2% year-over-year—with over 53.6% of those sales tied to March Madness merchandise.

And here’s the kicker: 69.5% of their basketball sales come from just two NIL deals.

So how did she do it? What makes NIL merch so powerful? And what’s it really like running an ecommerce business that lives and dies by game-day hype?

That’s what we’re talking about today.

👉 Read more from Shopify’s newsroom: shopify.com/news/march-madness-entrepreneurs

Links & Resources

🔗 Check out Scarlet & Goldscarletandgoldshop.com
🔗 Need custom merch?scarletandgoldcustom.com

📌 Sponsors:

🎧 Enjoyed this episode?
Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

💡 Want to grow your Shopify store? Work with Kurt:

👥 Join Our Private Facebook Group:
Connect with other Shopify entrepreneurs → facebook.com/groups/UnofficialShopifyPodcast

This is a story about ecommerce, sports, and the weird world of NIL merch.
It’s about how one Shopify store turned athlete partnerships into real growth.
And it’s about what happens when you take a risk—and it actually works.

07 Jun 2022Useful Google Tools for Your Store00:42:55

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 approach to optimizing for Google's business tools that applies to nearly any store. (If you haven't setup Google Search Console yet, listen to this episode.)

  • Which of Google's free tools should you always use?
  • Which Google Search Console warnings actually matter? (It cries wolf!)
  • The opportunity of Rich Results Data

Ilana Davis is a Shopify Superhero who works with e-commerce shops to remove friction from the buying process. She’s the owner of JSON-LD for SEO, a Shopify app that gets you more organic traffic through Rich Results. Ilana rescues websites to attract more visitors, provide better SEO, and increase conversion rates at a fraction of the cost of a full redesign.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

01 Apr 2025Shopify Dev AMA: Store Spying, AI Tools, and Trends00:39:58

Two Shopify Partners get real in an AMA packed with listener questions. Store spying tricks, AI fails, bold 2025 predictions, a garage full of jacked-up cars, and a sneak peek at their next app.

What you’ll learn:

  • How to spy on Shopify stores using public endpoints and browser tools
  • What’s broken (and what’s promising) in Shopify’s new AI tools
  • How devs actually use ChatGPT to write Shopify code
  • Email marketing best practices, including double opt-in insights
  • A look behind the scenes at a new Shopify app in development

Sponsors:

Show Links:

Work with Kurt:

26 Feb 2019Bringing The Ultimate Gym Sneaker to Market01:00:28

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 out for over 10 years. So in 2008 he set out on his own create his own sneaker brand.

Learn

  • The mindset that drove Darin to entrepreneurship
  • How Darin leveraged his unfair advantages
  • The dark side of selling in big box stores
  • How video games (and licensing) helped Daren sell more

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

Sponsors

09 Jul 2019Profitable & Durable: Staying Small in Business00:39:09

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 lets us enjoy time with our families. We’re running a small business by choice. We don’t want to spend our days managing employees. Instead, we want to treat our time as a scarce resource and invest in helping others build businesses for the lives they want too.

Show Links

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

27 Feb 2018Is dropshipping dead? What successful dropshippers know00:37:30

"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 answer this than me.

To find out, we're talking to Tomas Slimas, Chief Marketing Officer at Oberlo. He should know– Oberlo users have dropshipped more than 100 million products during the last 24 months.

In today's episode, you'll learn the answer, as well as what it takes to become a successful dropshipper, and even how dropshipping can scale your existing store.

You'll Learn

  • Is dropshipping dead?
  • What successful dropshippers know
  • What advantages does drop shipping have?
  • How do you choose which products to sell?
  • Are there specific risks to dropshipping?
  • How can Oberlo help you build and even scale your store?

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

08 Apr 2025Pit Viper: These Shades Print Money00:43:58

Pit Viper isn’t for everyone. And that might be the secret to its success.

It starts with a guy on a ski trip. His sunglasses break. So, naturally, he walks into a military surplus store, finds an old pair of ballistic glasses from the early 90s, and thinks, these are perfect.

Fast forward a few years, and those surplus shades—once traded for beers and ski lifts—have turned into Pit Viper, a brand worth millions.

But here’s the question: how do you build a business that doesn’t just sell sunglasses, but sells attitude? A brand that’s loud, weird, and completely unignorable?

Today on the show: Chris Garcin, CEO of Pit Viper, explains how they took what should have been a joke and turned it into a cult phenomenon.

Links & Resources
🔗 Shop Pit Viper: www.pitviper.com
🎧 More stories like this: The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Work With Kurt
🚀 Want to grow your Shopify store? We help brands like yours increase conversions, improve UX, and drive more sales.
📩 Let’s talk: ethercycle.com/apply
🛠️ See how I’ve helped other brands: ethercycle.com/work
💡 Join my newsletter for no-BS ecommerce insights: kurtelster.com

Connect with Kurt:

Sponsors:

  • 📈 Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels
  • 🔥 Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
  • 📬 Viralsweep – Create sweepstakes, contests, and giveaways.

🎧 Enjoyed this episode? Leave a review on iTunes—it helps more Shopify merchants find the show!

20 Aug 2019The Boring Ways Seven-Figure Stores Got There00:56:35

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 alleviate the stress?
  • What's the formula to determine product pricing? Are there good methods for testing different price points with your customers?
  • How do you properly split test multiple ad creatives for a new product, prior to launching conversion campaigns?

Plus Kurt gets a new jacket, and Paul knows who shot JFK.

Show Links

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

07 May 2020Comedy in Commerce: Help Customers Love You More00:45:03

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 conversions
  • How to approach voice of customer research
  • How can store owners and marketers write funnier copy without offending customers or coming off the wrong way?
  • How do you know you're succeeding with humor?
  • What are some big opportunities most brands overlook when creating their email automations?

Lianna Patch is a conversion copywriter and comedian whose greatest dream is to make your customers pause, smile, and click (in that order).

She’s written copy for Freshbooks, Manly Bands, LifeStraw, and The Contract Shop, among other delightful clients, and regularly speaks at ecommerce and software conferences around the world.

Links Mentioned

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

  • This episode was made possible by Ecom Growers - In eCommerce, the difference between great and good email campaigns is hundreds of thousands of dollars Ecom Growers is an agency that figured it out so you don’t leave any sales on the table.
12 Mar 2024Insights for European eCommerce Success00:40:14

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 the field hailing from the Czech Republic, who shares his rich experience navigating through the complex terrain of culturally diverse European markets. We dissect the ease of conducting e-commerce in the States and how it starkly differs from Europe's language barriers, currency variations, and a maze of regulations that could befuddle even the most seasoned entrepreneurs.

Venturing across borders in the digital marketplace brings a slew of unique challenges and solutions that we unravel in our conversation. David and I exchange insights on the necessity of localizing content, from sales messaging to adapting to cultural norms and payment methods that vary from one country to another. We highlight the effectiveness of translation tools and AI in bridging communication gaps, ensuring your online store resonates with international audiences. Whether it's dealing with credit cards, bank transfers, or local payment peculiarities, this chat lays out the essentials for a smooth cross-border e-commerce operation.

Rounding off our discussion, we dive into Shopify's journey of capturing the European market amidst strict privacy laws and regional preferences for homegrown digital solutions. David offers a unique perspective on the hesitation surrounding platform adoption like Shopify, sharing strategies to shift the e-commerce mindset in favor of such versatile tools. From the value of local expertise to the surprising impact of marketing budgets, we cover all bases, offering valuable advice to merchants eager to make their mark in Europe's dynamic e-commerce landscape. Join us for a wealth of knowledge and practical tips from the frontline of international digital commerce.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

28 May 2019Listener Mailbag: Paul Punches the Monkey00:45:55

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 Google
  • How to make Shopify Plus make money for you
  • and the "must have" mostly-free apps for your store

Show Links

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

20 Dec 2016We Built a Shopify App for Fun & Profit00:30:24

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 you. It turns out it’s surprisingly easy to custom apps for a store’s private use, and almost as easy to monetize those apps in the Shopify app store.

Jeremy Green, who developed Crowdfunder App with us, joins us to discuss the experience.

Jeremy Green is a software architecture consultant specializing in Ruby on Rails and Ember for SaaS applications. He's the founder of Remarq.io and CloudHdr.com. He's an active contributor to the Oklahoma tech scene through his involvement with Techlahoma, Code for Okc, and OkcRuby.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Learn:

  • How long it took
  • What to budget
  • Difficulty level
  • How apps work within Shopify
  • What the approval process is like

Links:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

10 Nov 2020This Master Tea Blender Shifted Their Family Business Online, Selling Seven-Figures01:03:32

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 quality tea an everyday luxury."

Key Takeaways:

  • How they leverage their brand story
  • How to power product discovery with 300 varieties of tea
  • What its like running a store with 50+ apps
  • Why they're fighting for inclusive messaging

Links Mentioned

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

12 Jun 2018Becoming Known: The Case for Personal Branding00:54:25

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 reasons:

  1. People buy from people, not brands.
  2. As a business owner, you are your own best brand ambassador.

We're joined by recurring guest, good friend, and master of his own brand, Kai Davis.

Kai Davis is an Ecommerce and Shopify Marketing Expert. He helps Shopify store owners sell more, more often to their best customers.

Want to learn how to sell more, more often? Visit DoubleYourEcommerce.com and sign up today to learn more.

You'll Learn

  • What is personal branding?
  • Why is personal branding important to build trust?
  • How is personal branding different than normal branding?
  • How to craft your personal story (the easy way)
  • Why Kurt peacocks in his camo blazer (and you should too)
  • Great inspirational examples of personal branding

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

Sponsors

15 Oct 2015Ready for Christmas? Holiday Ecommerce Tips & Tricks [BONUS]00:17:52

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 anticipated on gifts, and you can feel yourself coming down with a cold.

For 72 hours or more, your life turns into a bad sitcom.

Oh, and if you're reading, you're probably also a retailer. On top of the personal drama, you’re facing a single day that may make or break your entire fiscal year: Black Friday. That’s actually why it’s called Black Friday. It’s the day that a retailer’s books go from red (operating at a loss) to black (operating at a profit).

With the holidays around the corner, let's talk about how we can make the most out of the holidays with the highest degree of success – and the lowest degree of stress. So tackling a full-site redesign in October is probably out of the question. While it might work, it’s too risky.

Instead of gearing up for a huge project, let’s focus on some quick wins that you can implement to prep now to prep your store before Black Friday and the holidays.

02 Jan 2019Bigger isn't Better: Why Staying Small is The Next Big Thing in Business00:40:41

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, determine your own hours, and become a (highly profitable) and sustainable company of one.

Paul is the author of Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing For Business. He’s worked with professional athletes like Steve Nash and Shaquille O’Neal, corporate giants like Microsoft and Mercedes-Benz, and entrepreneurs with online empires like Danielle LaPorte and Marie Forleo. Currently he teaches popular online courses, hosts several podcasts and develops small but mighty software solutions.

Find out Paul's answers to:

  1. What are some specific prompts that will help us question growth (so that we’re not blindly growing)?
  2. Do you think the philosophies of “staying small” can reinforce self-limiting beliefs? Could it be holding someone back from their potential? Can upper-limits actually be a good thing?
  3. Why is resilience so important for companies (or companies of one)?

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

Sponsors

06 Dec 2016Expanding your Ecommerce Business on Amazon with Kiri Masters00:25:04

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, following Kiri’s own entrepreneurial efforts on Amazon with her own brand, I Like That Lamp. Trying and testing tools and strategies with her own brand, Kiri realized that many product businesses would benefit greatly from being Amazon, but have neither the time or experience to properly launch their products there.

At the core of Bobsled Marketing’s success is a self-designed, self-tested, comprehensive process that Kiri created to launch and optimize product listings on Amazon with a clear objective: to drive maximum revenue through the channel. To-date, this same process has been replicated by the Bobsled Marketing team for over 200 products across most product categories on Amazon.

Bobsled Marketing had humble beginnings. In July 2015, Kiri was doing piecemeal freelancing projects for consumer goods companies who needed help with maintaining and growing their sales on Amazon. Soon, she took her business to a whole new level. Kiri identified an overlooked opportunity amongst crowdfunded brands, which needed to quickly develop sales & distribution channels after their Kickstarter campaign ended.

This niche approach has boosted Bobsled Marketing into one of the go-to Amazon marketing agencies for established brands in less than a year, offering new opportunities, both for new businesses and for digital professionals looking for the right company to harness their extraordinary analytical skills. Kiri’s company grew to more than 10 staff, and manages 7 figures per month in sales on the Amazon marketplace for more than 30 clients. These clients now range from crowdfunded hardware startups and large European manufacturers to a billion-dollar consumer brand.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Learn:

  • Why should brands consider launching their products on Amazon?
  • What are the top things that brands do wrong when they launch on Amazon?
  • What does Amazon cost? What does that get?

Links:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

15 Dec 2015Masterminds: The Entrepreneur's Secret Weapon00:34:43

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 that question, Kai Davis and Jonathan Stark join Kurt to discuss their own mastermind experiences.

Jonathan Stark is a mobile strategy consultant who helps senior executives transition their business to mobile. Jonathan is the author of three books on mobile and web development, most notably O'Reilly's Building iPhone Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript which is available in seven languages. His Jonathan's Card experiment made international headlines by combining mobile payments with social giving to create a "pay it forward" coffee movement at Starbucks locations all over the U.S.

Kai Davis is an Outreach Consultant in Eugene, Oregon, who helps bootstrappers, product creators, self-funded startups, and single founder companies grow their audience and promote their best products and content. He connect with influencers and finds opportunities to expose your best products and content to their audience.

Show Links

  1. https://mastermindjam.com/
  2. https://expensiveproblem.com/
  3. http://doubleyouraudience.com/
05 Oct 2021Supply Chain Snags' Merchant Impact00:43:01

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 in stores?

How many container ships are sitting in the water outside of Long Beach right now?

Why does Amazon want to legalize weed?

Turns out all of these things are related to supply chain disruptions.

That's one epic traffic jam and it shows no signs of letting up before the holidays.

As ecommerce professionals, what are we gonna do about it?

19 Sep 2017Shopify Flow: How-to Automate Everything00:53:39

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 automation.

Why? Because it saves time, keeps me efficient, and is all-around convenient. Automation never sleeps.

Which is why at last year’s Shopify Unite, there was one feature announcement in particular that piqued my interest.

We were shown a new feature that would allow you to create automation workflows right in your Shopify admin. It was called Flow, and I was very excited to try it. Adding automation to your business represents a potentially tremendous revenue boost for ecommerce stores. Research shows that business automation leads to more productivity and higher revenues.

On September 18th, Flow left beta and was published publicly in the Shopify App Store for any Plus customer to use. But should you use it? What can you do with it?

To find out, we’ll talk to two people on both sides of the table about their Flow experience.

First, we’ll hear from David Moellenkamp, the Director of Product at Shopify Plus, about how they’ve built Flow to solve the problems of Shopify’s highest volume merchants (and what their vision for Flow is long-term.)

Then we’ll hear from Michelle Frey-Tarbox, the backend guru at Shinesty who will tell us about her experience with Flow and how it helped her as she operationally supported Shinesty’s brand growth from launch to $5M in 3 years.

If you aren’t exploring automation now, you’re going to be outpaced quickly by competitors. In this episode, we’ll learn how to use Shopify Flow’s automation can make your everyday processes wildly more efficient.

Listen now.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via Email

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Work with Kurt

Learn:

  • What is ecommerce automation?
  • What is Shopify Flow?
  • What are some of the benefits of Flow?
  • How is Flow delivering on ecommerce automation? What are some examples of Flow?
  • What are some of the results Shinesty has experienced using Flow?
  • How has Flow impacted Shinesty?

Links Mentioned chronologically:

27 Feb 2024Let's Sell Some Trucker Hats00:48:09

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 trucker hats to the table. Listen in as we dissect the transition from Amazon to Shopify, and discuss website improvements in a quest for online store over marketplace sales. Stay tuned as we gear up for future episodes where we'll measure the success of our efforts and strategize on lifecycle email marketing and beyond, all while appreciating Jesse's invaluable contributions to this e-commerce adventure.

Timestamps

(03:43 - 05:03) Rebranding Challenges on Amazon
(07:22 - 08:12) Amazon Listing Struggles and Promotions
(16:10 - 17:13) Product Variants and Shopify Integration
(22:35 - 24:23) Website Homepage Re-Design Suggestions
(33:00 - 34:03) Improving Product Listing User Experience
(38:54 - 39:56) Maximizing Product Listing Content
(42:35 - 43:51) Product Origins and Manufacturing Changes
(45:33 - 46:18) Professional Photo Shoot for Content Creation

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

19 May 2020King Kong Apparel: Selling 60,000+ Gym Bags on Shopify00:48:26

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 he has scaled to a Shopify Plus store that sells tens of thousands of bags, backpacks and meal prep bags per year.

We talk:

  • How they built a community of brand evangelists
  • What they'd do differently starting over
  • The most underestimated component of success
  • How their quiz

Oh, and you'll never guess where they got their mascot from. It's wild.

King Kong bags are widely known for their toughness, durability and functionally and have grown with the sport of CrossFit, and branched out into other fitness markets.

Links Mentioned

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

02 Jul 2024Editions.dev 2024 Trip Report00:45:13

Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/mi3iKmZBxRE

We’ve got all the highlights from the Shopify Editions.dev conference in Toronto. With exclusive insights from Harley Finkelstein, Shopify's president, we unpack the exciting upcoming updates designed to keep the Shopify intuitive admin interface effortless for all merchants, big and small.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

04 Jun 2024Shopify & SEO Tactics00:56:11

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, illustrated by a case study on an outdoor sports gear brand. We're not just talking SEO basics; we're giving you actionable strategies for Shopify stores to turn browsers into buyers. We go beyond headings, exploring how articles can drive traffic to products. Plus, we're unpacking the real deal with SEO tools and Shopify's role in e-commerce. Tune in for insights that could transform your digital strategy.

Episode Highlights:

  1. Jason’s Journey in SEO - From a self-proclaimed SEO weirdo to the founder of Break the Web.
  2. Evolution of SEO - How SEO strategies have changed from 2009 to today.
  3. Impact of AI on SEO - Navigating the challenges and opportunities AI presents to search engine optimization.
  4. Common SEO Frustrations - Addressing the common annoyances and misconceptions in SEO.
  5. Effective Keyword Research - Tools and techniques for finding the right keywords.
  6. On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO - Understanding the balance and importance of both.
  7. Link Building Strategies - Practical tips for earning quality backlinks.

Guest Background:

Jason Berkowitz has been a prominent figure in the SEO industry since 2009. As the founder and SEO Director of Break the Web, he has helped numerous DTC brands enhance their online presence. Known for his transparent and results-driven approach, Jason has been a trusted advisor to in-house marketing teams, helping them navigate the complexities of SEO. Outside of his professional achievements, Jason is passionate about demystifying SEO and making it accessible to all.

--

Additional Resources:

Sponsors:

Never miss an episode:

Help the show:

What's Kurt up to?

Tune in to learn the secrets of successful SEO from one of the industry's leading experts!

04 Mar 2025Fart-Proof Underwear? This Shopify Brand Says Yes00:37:14

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 father set out to create when they launched Tootles, a Shopify store selling flatulence-filtering underwear. At first, people laughed. But then, they listened. Because for people with digestive issues, this isn’t a joke—it’s a solution.

Today on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Collin joins Kurt to talk about building a business in a deeply niche market, convincing manufacturers that fart-proof underwear is, in fact, a real thing, and finding customers who need his product (but don’t necessarily want to talk about it).

In this episode:

✔️ How Collin and his dad took Tootles from idea to reality
✔️ The science behind fart filtration (yes, it works)
✔️ Marketing a taboo product without making it a joke
✔️ How Tootles increases AOV with clever bundling
✔️ Why subscriptions aren’t always the answer for consumable products

Farts are funny. Business is serious. And somewhere in the middle, there’s a Shopify success story worth listening to.

Links & Resources

🔗 Tootles Website: WearTootles.com
🔗 Kurt’s Shopify Agency: Ethercycle.com
🔗 Judge.me (Review App Used by Tootles): Judge.me

Sponsors

🔗 Cleverific: cleverific.com/unofficial
🔗 Zipify: zipify.com/KURT
🔗 ViralSweep: apps.shopify.com/viralsweep

06 Jun 2023Secrets from a $100M Ecom Entrepreneur00:44:19

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 e-commerce juggernaut behind $100 million in revenue. This unstoppable entrepreneur has generated over $100 million in revenue with ventures like Rugged Apparel, Adam's Polishes, and Pins & Aces. How does he do it? Discover his strategies for hiring, in-house operations, and mastering growth.

Timestamped overview

[00:01:21} Podcast featuring successful e-com entrepreneur Nick, discussing challenges and successful ventures, including Leno's Garage.

[00:04:38} Started e-com business in college selling survival bracelets, sold it after a few years.

[00:08:59} Starting an e-commerce business does not require a lot of money. Differentiation is key to success in a competitive market. Validating the idea is important before starting.

[00:12:21} Stick with it, have grit, and don't expect overnight success. One mannequin company survived the 2008 recession while 90% of competitors went out of business. Some products have TikTok booms, but persistence is necessary to turn it into a business.

[00:13:50} Two successful products: beer sleeve and liquor stick, with a focus on innovation and marketing. Dealing with copycats involves legal action.

[00:20:39} Small brand collab with Bud Light - no license, no royalty, just make cool stuff and use it. Unlimited
beer sent. Those brand collabs legitimized the brand leading to other collabs. Some licensed stuff, like NCAA.

[00:24:38} Starting as a side project, Pins and Aces grew to become a real business by hiring key people while maintaining a fun culture. Hiring slowly and firing quickly is important for building a strong team.

[00:27:19} Employees have equity in the company and a bonus program; giving opportunities for growth leads to retention.

[00:33:55} DIY approach has drawbacks like lost packages, missing inventory, shipping wrong item, but offers personal touch and control over shipping experience.

[00:38:58} New products, collaborations, growing brands, relaunching Hooga Lab, and moving to a new building.

[00:41:33} Stay focused on your product and niche, even if it doesn't sell immediately. Grinding it out for at least 6 months can lead to success.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

08 Mar 2016How Beardbrand Built a Better Business by Building Community00:28:08

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 inspired thousands.

"At Beardbrand, we're trying to change the way the world views beards."

Eric is a self-described "husband, father, entrepreneur, world traveler, ancap, designer and founder of BeardBrand."

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Learn:

  • How to use content marketing
  • Why to focus on improving your customer's life better
  • Why to help your customer become a better version of themselves
  • FirstName’s #1 tip for The Unofficial Shopify Podcast.

Links:

  • http://www.beardbrand.com/
  • https://twitter.com/bandholz

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

31 Dec 2024How This Athlete Built a $10M Sock Brand00:43:22

"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 background in sport, Fraser has crafted a brand that blends durability with everyday style. In this episode, he shares the unlikely story of how a thousand-dollar loan sparked a $10 million business, tapping into the potential of a $50 billion market. What follows is a lesson in resilience, as Fraser discusses growth, innovation, and the quest to make socks worthy of serious consumer loyalty.

Links:

  • Rob Fraser – Founder of Outway, former pro cyclist and Canadian national team member
  • Outway – Rob Fraser's sock brand
  • Shopify – Platform Outway uses for their e-commerce site
  • Shopify Bundles App – Used by Outway for product bundling

Sponsors

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Never miss an episode

30 Dec 2019Manufacture Your Product: Finding the Right Factory Partner00:49:03

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 finding a manufacturer with a man who has decades of experience.

Our guest today, Charles Kaliman, has helped big box retail stores launch new brands and find manufacturing supply chains. He collaborated in launching brands such as I.N.C., Structure, Everlast, and Gant.

You'll hear:

  • Finding the right factory partner
  • Mistakes to avoid
  • How to vet a factory
  • Why a great factory can help you finance
  • How digitization and changing retail has disrupted and democratized manufacturing
  • Why you should work backwards
  • What we can learn from Kim Kardashian's shapewear line

Charles has been in leadership positions holding operational responsibility at major retailers and brands. Charles’ international experience has provided him with a deep understanding of a dynamic and ever-changing global manufacturing base. He developed relationships with leading global vendors and travelled extensively to factories in Asia, India, Bangladesh, Central America and the USA.

Show Links

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

25 Jan 2022AMA: Metafields, Online Store 2.0, & more01:00:04

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 themes are metafields, theming, and Online Store 2.0.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

14 Nov 2019Lessons Learned from 7-figure SMS Marketing00:39:02

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 clients
  • How to get a 95% SMS open rate and 25% clickthrough rate on your SMS
  • Getting started with SMS in 30-minutes
  • What to absolutely NOT to do with SMS
  • New Buzzword: "Owned Channels"
  • The most effective way to grow an SMS list
  • Easy tactics for BFCM, advanced tactics

Jeremy has been working in the eCommerce space for 5 years building both eCommerce brands and tools for eCommerce companies. He currently runs an agency and podcast of the same name – Messenger Mastermind – where he works with 7-Figure eCommerce companies to build out their Owned Channels (Email, SMS, Push Notifications, Facebook Messenger, and Facebook Groups) to drive more profitable revenue growth.

Previously, Jeremy was LuMee's (aka Kim Kardashian's favorite selfie case) eCommerce Manager where he owned the DTC experience of LuMee.com and built tripled the Revenue generated from Email year over year. In addition he also built the SMS, Messenger and Push programs to drive a combined 6-Figures in Revenue per year.

Links Mentioned

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

This episode made possible by Rewind

22 Aug 2017Small Data: How to Increase Revenues with Customer Research00:39:17

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 high-impact marketing.

Let’s say you’ve found something gone awry in your Google Analytics. A page that underperforms, what do you do about it?

That’s where Customer Research and “small data” can be immensely valuable.

Josh Frank of TestingTriggers.com joins us today to talk us through it.

For years, Josh has been been working with eCommerce companies to optimize their websites for higher revenue using a blend of marketing and technical expertise to improve conversion rates.

Josh formerly headed up ecommerce teams and worked to pioneer testing cultures within organizations. Now, he works exclusively on getting eCommerce stores more profit through profitable customer research and a/b testing.

Listen now.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via Email

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Work with Kurt

Learn:

  • What is customer research?
  • The simplest approach to start with customer research
  • What to look for (and what to do with) your research
  • What’s holding you back from doing customer research
  • Josh’s favorite tool for customer research
  • Example site polls to run

Links Mentioned chronologically:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

09 Jan 2024How a Firefighter Mastered Marketing00:49:08

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 experience and keep your email marketing game strong. He's candid about the ad game too, comparing the heavyweights: Google and Facebook Ads. His advice? Sometimes you need a pro to take a swing at those Facebook Ads.

The real deal with Johnny is his approach to learning and adapting. He's all about experimenting and not being afraid to call in the cavalry when things get too technical. For those grappling with Pinterest Ads, TikTok Ads, and the ever-elusive SEO, Johnny's experiences are like finding a lighthouse in a storm.

Chapter Timestamps

(00:00) Transitioning From Firefighter to E-Commerce Entrepreneur
(09:32) Launching a Mask Business in 2020
(19:45) Marketing Strategies and Trade Show Success
(26:41) Maximizing Revenue With Email and Facebook
(40:11) Frustrations With Google, Pinterest, and TikTok
(47:42) Advice and Influence on Shopify Site

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

20 Sep 2016From the Detroit Tigers to Shirt Maker: Steven Fisher's Story00:33:06

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 University of Michigan and worked for the Detroit Tigers in data analytics.

After being disappointed and frustrated with all other dress shirts on the market, Steven and co-founder Lee launched State & Liberty Clothing Company in January of 2015. By focusing on fit, feel and a professional look, they've have created the best dress shirt on the market for the athletically built.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Learn:

  • Why you should sell a product that you want to use
  • How to validate products with your friends
  • The social strategy that skyrocketed sales
  • Steven’s #1 tip for The Unofficial Shopify Podcast.

Links:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

05 May 2020The Fundamental Truths of Million Dollar Ecom Brands01:01:14

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 fundamental appraoches that create the enduring ecommerce success stories.

Key Moments:

  • How the Income Store affected him
  • Why the pandemic can be good for you
  • The dangers of short term decisions
  • What most entreprenuers get wrong when scales 7-figure businesses
  • Ryan's product & audience formulas for success

As a serial entrepreneur, author, speaker, and investor, Ryan's main focus is on creating lifestyle freedom --- helping people create lasting businesses and investing the profits, while enjoying a higher quality of life, and working less.

In addition to operating, selling, and investing in multiple million dollar ecommerce brands, Ryan is best known for his work at Freedom Fast Lane - where he leads "The Tribe" and helps entrepreneurs develop their business plan, get results rapidly, and invest for passive income.

In The Tribe, he is responsible for creating 100+ millionaires, many of which occurred in 12 months or less following his philosophies on creating products people want, marketing them profitably, and creating life-long customers and brand evangelist.

Ryan's mission is to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to create jobs, contribute to the economy, and uplift their families and local communities to create a better world.

Links Mentioned

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

09 Jun 2020Black Lives Matter01:05:33

In this episode, we have an uncomfortable and necessary conversation about racism.

If you disagree with anti-racism or feel that this conversation doesn't belong in our show, then unsubscribe.

George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, David McAtee, and countless others should be alive.

Links Mentioned

Sponsors

22 Dec 2020How a Tesla Accessory Store Built a Cult Fanbase00:49:22

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 Abstract Ocean, and reading about them on forums.

Our guest today is Peter White, co-founder of Abstract Ocean. In 2013, Peter and his wife picked up their first Tesla. Aside from being the spark for Abstract Ocean, it proved completely life-changing (cue the Tesla grin - even now, years later, driving is a pure and utter joy - despite traffic).

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

21 May 2019HOONIGAN: Building a Lifestyle Brand00:47:56

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 incredible story to share starting back in the 2000's when co-owner and rally driver Ken Block appeared on BBC show Top Gear and filmed the hit YouTube video "Gymkhana 2", making the most viral video of 2009.

You'll learn:

  • The origin story of Hoonigan, Gymkhana, and Ken Block.
  • The authentic content that got them to an audience of 20million people and three daytime Emmy nominations
  • What's changed in social media and the one thing that will separate you

Ron Zaras is a man who has somehow snuck his way into the ranks of automotive media.

Starting life as an automotive journalist (read: intern) directly out of college working for 0-60 magazine, he learned that he could sustain a living telling automotive stories - and has been attempting to do so ever since.

After an 8 year stint working directly for Ken Block under the Hoonigan Racing Division banner, he moved over to the Hoonigan Industries home base in Long Beach, California to help evolve their marketing in both media and apparel segments.

Tune in for more details!

Show Links

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

19 Apr 2022Easy Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Business00:41:44

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 obvious to you only later with experience. I know this because I've been through it. I've engaged in all of the mistakes we're about to discuss.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

06 Oct 20153 Mindset Shifts to Double Your Business00:37:45

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 great people, and now I want to to share that information with you. In this episode, Kai Davis, who spoke with me at the conference, joins me to discuss what key takeaways we got from the conference.

You'll learn the mindset shifts we uncovered at Double Your Freelancing Conference from our fellow speakers.
You'll be inspired to take action, apply a new direction to your own businesses, and strive for productivity and focus. You know, all the things that make you more money.

Links:

  1. Kurt's DYFC Retrospective
  2. The Traffic Manual
  3. Website Teardowns
13 Oct 2020Steal Ezra Firestone's Million Dollar Black Friday Blueprint00:57:14

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 how.

Master Marketer Ezra Firestone breaks down the exact Black Friday and holiday email campaigns he'll be running this year.

You'll learn:

  • Ezra's content marketing strategy
  • Why to set up pre-sale campaigns
  • Best times to send email
  • Every single app in every Ezra's store

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

06 Sep 2016Tactical Diaper Bags & Side Hustles with Beav Brodie00:33:16

"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 niche store selling tactical-style diaper bags for today's dad. (I know I'm buying one.)

Dads are actively dedicating themselves more than ever to their children’s upbringing these days. While a generation ago tackling a diaper change may have scared off many a dad, these days dealing with a baby’s messy habits is frequently a team endeavor. This co-parenting is a beautiful new norm that extends beyond loaded diapers -- it's a world in which parents find themselves in the trenches of child rearing together. So why are diaper bags still designed as if the wife will be the only one carrying them?

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Learn:

  • The journey Beav took in starting his business
  • The exact Instagram Strategy he used to grow
  • And his favorite app to run their growing store

Links:

  • https://tacticalbabygear.com/
  • https://www.instagram.com/tacticalbabygear/
  • https://www.facebook.com/TacticalBabyGear/

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

17 Oct 2023Product Pre-Launch Planning00:54:43

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 presentation, Vance's advice is a goldmine for aspiring entrepreneurs. Whether you're new to crowdfunding or already running a Shopify store, this conversation will inspire you to take your ideas to the next level. Join the crowdfunding adventure now and learn the secrets to launching with confidence!

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

16 Jan 2018How KeySmart Made $1.3 Million on a Product Launch00:58:07

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 million dollars in revenue. And if you can get there, you’d feel pretty great.

Now what if I told you our guest today got to a million dollars in revenue in a few months on a single new product launch with pre-orders.

Pretty wild, right?

On today’s episode, we’ll pull back the curtain on this monumental success.

Andy Bedell is the head of marketing for KeySmart, one of Shopifys largest e-commerce stores. He is an experienced advertiser and email marketer with over $20 million in revenue under his belt.

In addition to KeySmart, Andy has consulted advertising agencies, other eCommerce stores, and several Kickstarter campaigns.

Before entering the eCommerce world he ran advertising for the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Executive Education department.

You'll learn:

  • How they got into a partnership with Tile
  • How Andy approached business development through partnerships
  • How did the crowdfund model helped with their campaign
  • The pros & cons of crowdfunding on your Shopify store vs going with Kickstarter

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

18 Jul 2017eCommerce Trends You Need to Boost Sales Before Black Friday00:31:00

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 other ecommerce retailers and cherry pick those ideas for your own brand.

Joining us to discuss several actionable example of revenue-boosting trends is Kaleigh Moore.

Kaleigh is a freelance writer specializing in eCommerce. Since 2013, she's been working with various eCommerce platforms and publications like Inc. Magazine and Entrepreneur to highlight the best practices, new data, and rapid growth associated with online sales.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via Email

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Work with Kurt

Learn:

  • Top trends for ecommerce
  • What your product page needs to convert
  • What to do when products go out of stock
  • How to increase Average Order Value
  • The importance of segmentation and buyer’s guides
  • Which trend to start with
  • Kaleigh’s one tip for store owners

Links Mentioned:

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

10 Nov 2015Get Real with Paul Jarvis: Being Authentic in Marketing00:30:14

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 like Microsoft, Yahoo and MTV, plus entrepreneurs with massive digital empires, including Danielle LaPorte, Alexandra Franzen, Marie Forleo and Kris Carr (and a whole bunch of amazing folks in between).

He applied what he learned in his web design work to writing, and grew his audience from zero to releasing a bestseller, just a year-and-a-half after writing his first book. His words now appear in every major business publication and reach over 100,000 people every month.

Those are the numbers and facts. But, Paul's goal isn’t to earn millions or become a bullshit thought leader; it’s to do work that matches his internal compass and provide real value. Defining success on his own terms has made him who he is, and that's what we're going to discuss: the importance of finding your authentic voice and using it in your business.

Sign up for Paul's Newsletter at https://pjrvs.com/signup and join 16K+ others reading his weekly articles about freelancing, life and creativity.

(Oh! And check out Kurt's new website which was inspired by Paul's! --> http://kurtelster.com/ and while you're there, join the Insider's List, we've got some exciting things coming up you won't want to miss.)

16 Feb 2021How TikTok Revitalized This Pandemic-fatigued Merchant00:59:30

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 pandemic hit and he experienced what we all did: the crushing desperation of not knowing what's going to happen. He understandably became increasingly demoralized... until he found his voice again through TikTok and Twitch.

It's a compelling, unusual, and ultimately inspiring story from a lovely person.

Cesar is the author of two sci-fi book series: The Coil and How to Kill a Superhero. He is also the CEO and Designer of LED Queens fitness apparel, which is a direct spinoff from both of his book series. He earned his journalism degree at Northwestern University and a computer science masters degree at DePaul University. He's currently based out of Chicago.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

10 Feb 2015Following Your Passion & Making the Jump00:23:43

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 sweetheart, moved to Burlington, VT, and started a full-time design job, he found myself brainstorming about launching his own brand centered around a love for typography and minimal design: Ugmonk.

What started as an outlet for my passion and entrepreneurial experiment quickly grew into much more than just selling a few shirts.

Listen and find out how Jeff went from full-time agency employee to full-time Shopify store owner and clothing designer.

Check out Ugmonk and pick up some finery for yourself. (I know I've got my eye on those waxed canvas bags. I love the patina waxed canvas develops with use.)

PS: Be sure to subscribe to the podcast via iTunes and write a review. iTunes is all about reviews!

10 Mar 2020Casting a Voice for Your Brand00:44:51

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 writer and showrunner Michael Jamin will teach you how to find your mission statement, create your customer avatar, cast a "voice" for your brand, then how to apply that to your marketing so you're always telling one, cohesive brand story.

You'll hear:

  • Why you shouldn't "fake it 'til you make it"
  • What makes a great mission statement?
  • How to create my customer avatar?
  • How to "cast" a spokesperson to "speak" to your customer
  • How to apply it all this to your branding

Michael Jamin has been a professional sitcom writer/showrunner for 25 years. His many credits include King of the Hill, Just Shoot Me, Beavis & Butthead, Rules of Engagement, Wilfred, Maron, Brickleberry and many others. By applying his knowledge of storytelling to his wife's clothing line, TwirlyGirl, they grew it into a multi-million dollar company.

Michael's branding videos were so successful on Facebook, that several companies asked him to share his marketing expertise. That's how CardboardRocketships came to be. It's a website that offers instruction on how to tell your brand story.

Links Mentioned

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

17 Apr 2018How-to: Automated Email Follow-up Campaigns Made Easy00:50:57

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 Langman joins us to discuss. She's the Founder and CEO of the Productpreneur Marketing. Her passion is to help entrepreneurs with eCommerce businesses businesses to be more successful and in control, by helping them to attract their ideal customers and sell more products online - on autopilot.

Having previously launched, built and sold an award-winning business eCommerce business herself, and combined with a career in branding and digital design agencies, Catherine has extensive professional experience in product development, brand communications and online marketing for product-based businesses. As a marketing consultant, Catherine has helped her clients to achieve massive growth in their own businesses.

You'll Learn

  • What is a sales funnel? What do we mean by automation?
  • How to attract new people to your list with unconventional lead magnets
  • How a three email sequence converts new subscribers into customers
  • How a four email post-purchase customer service sequence ensure happys customers

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

13 Apr 2021How to Spot Fake Influencers00:45:14

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 Kardashian.

Guest Corey Turner is candidly breaks down:

  • The positives & negatives of influencer marketing for a DTC brand
  • How to spot fake influencers
  • What metrics to look for when picking an influencer.
  • Breaking down the metrics of a couple well known influencers

Corey Turner lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two kids (Henry, 3 and Avery 1). After graduating Northeastern University in 2009, he joined a startup with friends dropshipping mattresses. In 2013, they sold to MattressFirm. From 2013 to about 2016, they ran MattressFirm's ecommerce division. Late 2017, BlanQuil was launched just in time for the peak hype in weighted blankets.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

10 Jul 2018PostedProtein: Bootstrapping from 0 to £250K+00:45:41

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 entrepreneur Tom Brown joins us to discuss the journey, mindset, and tactics that helped him build a successful business selling protein bars online.

You'll Learn

  • How Tom got his first customers with zero money on social media
  • Which apps were most effective in scaling their business
  • The mindset that's empowered his continued growth
  • How he leverages the Shopify ecosystem
  • The surprisingly simple way he raises cash on demand

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Grow Your Store in 2018

Sponsors

17 Aug 2021What matters for the future of ecommerce00:36:38

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 self-checkout by the end of 2021, to virtual fitting rooms debuting at a time when a lot of Americans really just want to get back into the mall (you get the picture)-- we want to know their takes on what's upcoming in ecommerce.

On the panel:

  • Emmett Shine, Founder and Executive Creative Director of Pattern (FKA Gin Lane)
  • Lisel Welden, Advisor, CMO, Board Director | Former Nike, Lyft & Bleacher Report
  • Kurt Elster, your Unofficial Shopify Podcast host
  • Moderated by Andrew Jones, Route's Marketing Director

This panel was originally recorded for Route Connect, an Ecommerce Conference

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

01 Sep 2020Q&A: PageSpeed, Plus, Preparing for Q400:54:11

This episode is available as a video interview on YouTube:  youtu.be/S3-9NZ1OLV8

In this listener Q&A episode aimed at optimizing for Q4, we discuss:

  • Which cart type is best
  • What we're doing differently this Black Friday
  • The problem with PageSpeed
  • Klaviyo Email Flow & Campaign tips
  • How to promote without discounting

And we close with a breakdown of when Shopify Plus makes sense.

Links Mentioned

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

21 Sep 2021Donations, Not Discounts00:41:25

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 helping Shopify merchants drive sales without discounts, while reaching an increasingly socially-aware demographic.

Prior to Givz, Andrew was treasurer for a nonprofit, where the pains of accepting donations drove him to start Givz.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

14 Jun 2022No Best Practices: 7 Surprising Split Tests00:48:33

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 split tests and the implications of their results. With one big caveat: there are no best practices...

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

19 Jan 2021When a Pandemic Pauses Your Business00:45:02

Julie Elster (as in Mrs. Elster) joins us again for a candid update on how 2020 impacted her travel business, hosted on Shopify.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

16 Mar 2021Optimizing the Customer Journey by Exiting the Ecommerce Echo Chamber00:43:29

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 most important customers segments thanks to the RFM model, understanding behavioral patterns that need to be addressed in order to prioritize what matters to improve profitability and customer loyalty for ecommerce brands.

She also has some unconventional opinions about ecommerce and its echo chamber problem.

  • Why RFM segmentation is more important than CLTV
  • What to ask your customers in an interview
  • Why is ecommerce a sausage fest

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

10 Sep 2019How a Fashion Designer Started a Niche Brand At 2101:03:21

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 create her own. This episode is about the inspiring journey of hardship and success that came next.

You'll learn:

  • How to have the best relationships with your retailers
  • Why wholesale may be the best way to start a business
  • The differences in how to market wholesale vs. retail

Her company, Impact Fashion is the only size inclusive modest special occasion fashion line on the market. Every style is fitted to perfection and is available in sizes 2-24 because there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be. Her wholesale line is stocked in over 25 boutiques nationwide. In September 2018 she launched the B2C arm of her company on Shopify, impactfashionnyc.com.

Tune in for more details!

Show Links

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

26 Jan 2016Drunk User Testing with Richard Littauer00:37:10

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 at your website, and tries to give advice about how it could be better while he pretends to be a normal user.

Richard and I talk a bit about his story and what you can do today to make your site just that much better for drunk — and, more importantly, sober — users.

More about Richard Littauer: He's a developer, UX designer, and digital nomad. His clients include the MIT Media Lab, Hubspot, and VWO. Currently, he lives in Boston, and enjoys writing and reading emails and haiku. He writes a weekly newsletter, available on his website at burntfen.com.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Show Links

  1. http://theuserisdrunk.com/
  2. http://burntfen.com/
  3. https://tinyletter.com/richlitt
  4. http://drunkusertesting.com/

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

19 Jul 2022Immutable Laws of Conversions00:45:22

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 MacDonald, founder of The Good, a conversion optimization firm that has helped globally-recognized brands like Nike, Adobe, Xerox, and The Economist exceed their ambitious growth goals.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

07 Feb 2023Ask Me Anything: January '2300:42:47

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 shoppers can join your email list as well as provide advice if you've been thinking about migrating from WordPress to Shopify. Plus- are Shopify Functions a yes or no for us? Tune-in this week and find out all that plus more!

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

16 Jun 2020Crowdfunding $380k for a Better T-shirt01:06:09

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 shouldn't do it, he spent 18 months on research and development that resulted in a crowdfunding campaign that raised $380K USD.

That brand was Unbound Merino, purveyors of quality merino wool clothing. Today, Unbound Merino is a multi-million dollar global brand selling in over 100 countries.

Its not all puppies and roses: they had positioned the brand as a travel accessory, impacting their sales in a pandemic world.

Key Takeaways:

  • The grassroots campaign strategy that drove their initial success
  • The difference between publishing and launching your store
  • How the pandemic has created a new mentality for their business

Links Mentioned

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

24 May 2016No Bull Marketing & Making Money Online with Matt Giovanisci00:49:02

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 co-founder of Listen, Money Matters, a personal finance podcast that gets more downloads in a day as The Unofficial Shopify Podcast gets in a week. He also recently started MoneyLab, a series of documented experiments in making money online.

Matt candidly shares his story of success building Swim University – an online resource site for swimming pool and hot tub owners that earns him six figures annually.

Oh, and he once rapped about his podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnH4CSg-gR8

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Learn:

  • Matt’s “one stop shop” concept for content marketing
  • The reaction your visitors should have when they land on your site
  • How humor enables better marketing
  • Why & how to write for people, not Google
  • The importance of a single sentence
  • Matt #1 tip for The Unofficial Shopify Podcast.

Links:

  • http://www.moneylab.co/
  • https://twitter.com/mattgiovanisci/

Free Guide

I want to send you a sample chapter of Ecommerce Bootcamp, absolutely free.

Tell me where to send your sample at ecommerce-bootcamp.com

18 Aug 2020Q4, USPS, Themes, & Joe Biden's Teeth00:57:23

Also available in live hi-def action on YouTube:  youtu.be/khPjZKvOPhs

In this episode:

  • Our Q4 BFCM predictions
  • What's up with USPS?
  • KeySmart's Andy Bedell talks switching themes
  • and we teardown the official Joe Biden merch store

Links Mentioned

Forbes: Trump Admits To Blocking USPS Funding Over Mail-In Voting

KeySmart

Joe Biden store

Oculus Quest VR

Sponsors

Get powerful marketing automation with Klaviyo's revenue-driving email platform

Try Bold Product Upsell, free trial

Save 20% on Turbo, a blazing fast Shopify theme - Use code KURT20 at checkout

Improve your shop’s search engine ranking with Venntov SEO Meta Manager

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

29 Sep 2020Manufacturing Authenticity: From Sneaker Drops to Shinola Saving Detroit01:11:57

We discuss:

  • The ethics of financing solutions
  • Launching your products like Yeezy
  • Rumors: An update on Native Checkout Integrations
  • News: A Shopify data leak, and a Shopify Partner arrested by the FBI
  • Are Nikkola, Madewell, and Shinola authentic brands?

And then we test drive the Shinola store.

Links Mentioned

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

05 Jan 2016Customer Retention: How to Keep Customers Coming Back00:31:04

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 revenue maximization that the big boys have known for years.

Ross Beyeler of Growth Spark joins us today to discuss how to achieve prolonged success with your Shopify business.

You'll learn the 5 Stages of Customer Retention:

  1. Support
  2. Loyalty
  3. Advocacy
  4. Analytics
  5. Automation

And the best tools to capitalize on those stages.

A graduate of Babson College, Ross Beyeler has been an active entrepreneur in the technology space since 2005 with experience ranging in digital marketing, business development and strategic management. In 2007, Ross co-founded For Art's Sake Media, Inc., a technology company servicing the art industry, where he led the organization through its seed funding, team building and product launch. In December 2008, Ross went on to start Growth Spark, a design and technology consultancy focused on helping eCommerce and B2B service companies become more efficient and more profitable. Since it's founding, Growth Spark has completed over 225 projects and led Ross to a 2010 nomination as one of BusinessWeek's Top 25 Entrepreneurs under 25.

Ross can be reached through http://growthspark.com/ or Twitter: https://twitter.com/rbeyeler

Show Links:

https://apps.shopify.com/help-scout
https://apps.shopify.com/sweet-tooth
http://www.olapic.com/
https://apps.shopify.com/klaviyo-email-marketing
https://apps.shopify.com/lumiary
https://apps.shopify.com/nosto-personalization-for-shopify

17 Sep 2024How a Reddit Post Led to a $5M Skincare Brand00:50:16

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 his own seborrheic dermatitis symptoms that turned into a product line changing lives. Austin talks about bootstrapping with a small SBA loan, leveraging niche Reddit communities, and the guerilla marketing tactics that propelled his brand into the big leagues. This is the blueprint for turning your personal problems into a game-changing business.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

02 Aug 2022Building a Baked Goods Brand with a Mission00:46:37

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 specializing in cookies, and building safe spaces with those baked goods.

We're joined by Hans Schrei, co-founder of Wunderkeks.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

25 Mar 2025Lady Gaga’s on Shopify: Go Behind the Build00:31:00

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 overnight and feel as immersive as her albums. So they went headless, partnering with Commerce-UI, a Shopify agency known for pushing boundaries.

In this episode, Shopify Partner Michal Klim takes us inside the build:

  • How Hydrogen and Oxygen power a site that never stands still.
  • Why merch sales weren’t the top priority—and what was.
  • Why a “conversion-first” mindset wouldn’t work here—and what did.

It’s a story about what happens when a global superstar takes Shopify beyond ecommerce best practices.

🎧 Listen now on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast.

The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is made by possible by our sponsors:

Special thanks to our friends at Shopify and to our listeners.

Show Links

Work with Kurt

Want to optimize your Shopify store and grow your business? I help Shopify merchants like you increase conversions, streamline operations, and build standout online experiences.

Apply to work with me: Ethercycle
See how I’ve helped other brands: Recent Client Successes
Get my best Shopify insights: Join My Newsletter

Let’s make your Shopify store better, faster, and more profitable.

02 Feb 2021How Two Strangers Partnered to Sell $1mm in Jerky00:56:48

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 resulted in $1mm in sales in two years.

  • The mindset that gave him the confidence to quit his job
  • Keys to building realtionships with potential business partners
  • How they launched with grassroots marketing efforts
  • How having parallel local and national strategies worked well
  • The power of podcast appearances (and how it got their products into WalMart)

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

10 Jan 2023How an Iconic Flask Revived an 1890s Housewares Brand Online00:42:25

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 leading designer and manufacturer of luxury flasks and kitchenware, established in 1819.

GUEST BIO: Sean Bandawat is a second generation entrepreneur and real estate investor. Mr. Bandawat embarked on his business career by acquiring Jacob Bromwell®, an iconic home goods company nationally recognized as the oldest housewares manufacturer in the United States, founded in 1819. The revival of the Jacob Bromwell® brand began in college when he developed a business plan that set out to completely transform and revitalize the troubled company which was once a household name. His bold turnaround plan proved successful, and in 2020 Jacob Bromwell® was recognized by Shopify as being in the top 1% of its highest growth e-commerce retail stores. Additionally, since his acquisition, Jacob Bromwell® has received global media attention in nearly every major news publication, including Inc., The Wall Street Journal, GQ, Martha Stewart Living, Esquire, People, and more.

Show Links

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

19 Dec 2017Growing Your List & Revenue With Pop-ups00:43:20

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 answer is pop-ups.

In this episode, we discuss best practices and benchmarks for pop-ups with the founder of popular pop-up app Privy, Ben Jabbawy.

Through Ben’s leadership, he has helped grow Privy to support over 200,000 marketers in 180 countries. His data-driven approach to lead capture and on-site personalization has helped brands like UNIQLO, The Beatles, The Ellen Degeneres Show, and now you.

Listen now.

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via Email

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on iTunes

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast on Stitcher

Subscribe to The Unofficial Shopify Podcast via RSS

Join The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group

Work with Kurt

Learn:

  • The gap in your funnel that’s fixed by pop-ups
  • The difference between advanced pop-ups and a basic pop-up
  • Use cases, offers, and stats for pop-ups
  • How to use pop-ups without angering Google
  • The #1 factor that affects conversion rate
  • The most effective formats and triggers for pop-ups

Links Mentioned:

Drive More Sales with a Same-Day Shipping Countdown Timer

Give customers another reason to buy with our simple to use, professional-looking shipping countdown timer.

☞ Start your free 7-day trial

23 Jan 2018Validating & Scaling Your Shopify Store using Amazon FBA00:42:26

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, I’ve helped quite a few successful Amazon sellers expand onto Shopify.

Starting in a marketplace like Amazon customers find you more easily, and rapidly validate your product-market fit.

Once validated, you can then leverage Amazon to grow your Shopify store.

But it’s not all roses and sunshine. There are some issues too.

Today’s guest is a successful Amazon seller, Shopify merchant, and former Amazon FBA consultant. Noah Deligio will tell us, form his personal experience, how best to leverage both Amazon and Shopify for your business.

You'll learn:

  • What is Amazon FBA?
  • How can you leverage both platforms?
  • What are the pitfalls of Amazon vs Shopify?

Resources

Share your thoughts

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

02 Jul 2019Sci-fi Books & Rad Leggings00:58:17

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 series into a fitness leggings brand with a big impact on LGBTQ+ fans of the brand.

You'll hear:

  • What Cesar learned working at the Wirecutter
  • How listening to customers pivoted his business to success
  • How an uncommon journey led to uncommon success

Cesar is the author of two sci-fi book series: The Coil and How to Kill a Superhero. He is also the CEO and Designer of LED Queens fitness apparel, which is a direct spinoff from both of his book series. He earned his journalism degree at Northwestern University and a computer science masters degree at DePaul University. He's currently based out of Chicago.

Tune in for more details!

Resources

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Sponsors

06 Jul 2021Lots of traffic but no sales?00:47:18

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 interviews with over 2,000 merchants, discovering their biggest pain point is "Lots of traffic but no sales."

In this episode, we'll learn what are the basics of in-store marketing - where merchants typically go wrong, and how to do better.

Born in a small town in north east India, grown up across India followed by working in San Francisco, Toronto & India, Kaus has thrived as a global citizen. These experiences have made her very empathetic and helps her connect to small business owners across the globe.

Kaus leads an all-star girls team, mentors women developers & storytellers across the world and is focused on creating a maker first culture.

Show Links

  • ModeMagic Sale Booster - Free 1 month-trial on ModeMagic Sale Booster app on the Shopify App Store... for all Unofficial Shopify Podcast listeners! Use the code MERCHME while upgrading your plan.
  • The Fascination
  • Harry's
  • [@kmanjita}twitter.com/kmanjita

Sponsors

Never miss an episode

Help the show

What's Kurt up to?

Améliorez votre compréhension de The Unofficial Shopify Podcast avec My Podcast Data

Chez My Podcast Data, nous nous efforçons de fournir des analyses approfondies et basées sur des données tangibles. Que vous soyez auditeur passionné, créateur de podcast ou un annonceur, les statistiques et analyses détaillées que nous proposons peuvent vous aider à mieux comprendre les performances et les tendances de The Unofficial Shopify Podcast. De la fréquence des épisodes aux liens partagés en passant par la santé des flux RSS, notre objectif est de vous fournir les connaissances dont vous avez besoin pour vous tenir à jour. Explorez plus d'émissions et découvrez les données qui font avancer l'industrie du podcast.
© My Podcast Data