My First Million “$100M dollar brands are being built for boring products” - Harley Finkelstein of Shopify
969 snips
Jun 12, 2025 
Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs and shares insights on transforming mundane products into lucrative brands. He discusses the storytelling power behind common items, like hand sanitizers, elevating them to luxury status. The conversation explores the success of personalized health and beauty products and the critical dynamics of founder-led companies. Finkelstein also delves into the intersection of wealth and health, emphasizing the importance of personal choices in well-being, while hinting at Shopify's innovations in AI.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Luxury Hand Sanitizer Success
- Touchland turned boring hand sanitizer into a luxury product with great design and scent.
- This pivot led to explosive growth and an $880 million acquisition in 2025.
Making Boring Products Sexy
- Boring products can become very sexy and successful when innovated with design and storytelling.
- Companies like Dyson and Ember reinvent simple products into exciting, high-demand items.
Expanding Total Addressable Market
- Total addressable market (TAM) can be expanded, not just competed over.
- Entrepreneurs grow the pie by imagining new distribution and customer opportunities beyond traditional views.
