Erik Torenberg interviews Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify, discussing tariffs, political shifts, Shopify's earnings, and the evolution of entrepreneurship.

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LINKS:

Shopify: https://www.shopify.com/

Firebelly Tea: https://www.firebellytea.com/

Big Shot Podcast: https://www.bigshot.show/

Shopify president on e-commerce trends, impact of tariffs and state of the consumer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si_j0P0DPM4

World's First Podcast: https://linktr.ee/worldsfirstpodcast

Nobody Wants This (Netflix): https://www.netflix.com/title/81591296

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X / TWITTER:

@harleyf

@Shopify

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Harley views tariffs as adding unnecessary complexity to entrepreneurship.
Shopify advocates for streamlining business creation processes.
Not every business needs external funding to succeed.
Shopify Capital helps merchants who can't access traditional funding.
Harley's Big Shot podcast archives stories of successful Jewish entrepreneurs.
A common theme across entrepreneur interviews is crediting spouses for success.
October 7th strengthened Harley's connection to his Jewish identity.
Harley employs different mentors for different aspects of life.
Montreal's culture celebrates entrepreneurs as cultural heroes.
Commonwealth countries suffer from "tall poppy syndrome" that discourages standing out.
2024 was Shopify's strongest year with nearly $300 billion in GMV.
International merchants now represent 50% of Shopify's user base.
Post-omnichannel commerce focuses on selling in places most relevant to specific customers.
Content, entertainment, and commerce are increasingly blending for successful brands.
Shopify takes a practical approach to AI implementation across its platform.
AI features include generated replies, media editing, and business coaching.
Shopify created dual career tracks: management and "crafters" (individual contributors).
The "Mastery" program enables promotions while staying focused on craft expertise.
Shopify operates "digital by design" - primarily remote with intentional gatherings.
Leadership team members are distributed across multiple geographic locations.
The company uses "tours of duty" - three-year commitments with deliberate check-ins.
Employees must grow at a rate equal to or greater than the company's growth.

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