How Kurt Elster Built a Shopify Empire and Turned One Platform into a $1M+ Agency

Jan 30, 2026

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In this episode of How to Scale a Business, host Hector Santiesteban sits down with Kurt Elster, the "unofficial mayor of Shopify," to uncover the secrets behind building a thriving e-commerce agency. Kurt shares his journey from a failed startup during the 2009 recession to becoming one of the most recognized Shopify experts in the world. He reveals the pivotal moments that transformed his business, including the power of specialization over being a generalist, the switch to fixed-price project pricing that eliminated client hesitation, and how he built recurring revenue streams to stabilize cash flow. Kurt also dives deep into his content marketing strategy through podcasting, the importance of case studies for service providers, and how AI tools are revolutionizing agency productivity—from transcription to coding. Business owners will learn actionable strategies for positioning their services, pricing with confidence, building a team with the right mix of contractors and full-time employees, and leveraging emerging technologies to scale faster. Kurt's advice on knowing your numbers and setting quantifiable goals provides a clear roadmap for anyone looking to break through their current revenue ceiling.

Chapters:

(00:00:00) - Introduction and Kurt's "Unofficial Mayor of Shopify" Title

(00:01:42) - From Failed Startup to Service Provider: Kurt's Early Pivot

(00:05:23) - The Power of Specialization: Why Kurt Chose Shopify

(00:09:15) - Business Model Evolution: Fixed Pricing vs. Hourly Rates

(00:12:48) - Building and Scaling a Team: Contractors vs. Full-Time Employees

(00:18:30) - AI's Impact on E-commerce and Agency Work

(00:23:45) - The Authenticity Problem with AI-Generated Content

(00:26:12) - Working with Jay Leno's Garage and Big-Name Clients

(00:27:18) - The Secret to Scaling: Know Your Numbers and Set Clear Goals

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