The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Smriti Jayaraman, a venture capitalist at Corazon Capital specializing in early-stage tech investments, dives into the future of e-commerce strategies. She discusses how AI is reshaping SEO and marketing, with brands leveraging gamified funnels and personalized experiences. The conversation touches on the importance of authenticity and innovative tools, like AI-powered sizing tech that enhances shopping. Smriti also emphasizes the shift from traditional ads to community-driven, membership-like approaches for better customer engagement.

Cathy Yoder, known as "The Queen of Air Fryers," has built an impressive content-driven Shopify business with over 700K YouTube subscribers. She shares how she transformed viewer engagement into sales through successful cookbooks and air fryer accessories. Cathy discusses leveraging YouTube as a lead generator, creating user-focused products, and the balance between perfection and progress. She emphasizes the power of audience feedback, effective monetization strategies, and the importance of authenticity in connecting with fans.

Chris Garcin, CEO of Pit Viper, shares the wild journey of transforming a quirky idea into a multi-million dollar sunglasses brand. It all began with a broken pair of military surplus shades during a ski trip. The discussion touches on their unconventional marketing tactics, cultivating authentic brand ambassadors, and maintaining a unique identity in a competitive market. Chris highlights the power of humor in their marketing, along with creative promotions that resonate with audiences, showing that sometimes a joke can truly pay off!

Paul Rita, a Shopify developer and partner of Kurt Elster, dives into a lively AMA filled with Shopify insights. Discover clever store spying techniques using public tools and hear about the limitations and possibilities of AI in Shopify. They also share tips on using ChatGPT for coding and discuss email marketing best practices like double opt-in. Get a sneak peek at an innovative new app in development while navigating the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce trends!

Michal Klim, CTO and co-founder of Commerce UI, dives into the intricate creation of Lady Gaga's innovative headless Shopify site. The conversation reveals how the site is not just a merch store but a dynamic digital experience meant to evolve with Gaga. Klim discusses the importance of immersive storytelling and the challenges of merging e-commerce with creative artistry. He emphasizes the shift from traditional conversion strategies to a focus on customer engagement, highlighting AI-driven enhancements that redefine online shopping.

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-entrepreneursLinks & Resources🔗 Check out Scarlet & Gold → scarletandgoldshop.com🔗 Need custom merch? → scarletandgoldcustom.com📌 Sponsors:Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnelsCleverific – Smart order editing for ShopifyAddress Validator – Reduce delivery errors & costs🎧 Enjoyed this episode?Subscribe & leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.💡 Want to grow your Shopify store? Work with Kurt:Apply for a strategy session → ethercycle.com/applySee what we’ve built → ethercycle.com/workGet my best Shopify insights → kurtelster.com👥 Join Our Private Facebook Group:Connect with other Shopify entrepreneurs → facebook.com/groups/UnofficialShopifyPodcastThis 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.

Jay Myers, co-founder of Bold Commerce and seasoned Shopify expert, joins the discussion to reveal critical mistakes that could be undermining your sales. He elaborates on the crucial role of an optimized checkout process in building trust. The duo discusses the pitfalls of subscription models and offers insights for enhancing product pages to boost add-to-cart rates. They also share tips on improving navigation and emphasize the importance of storytelling in e-commerce, urging merchants to foster genuine customer relationships.

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

Ron Shah, Founder of Obvi and a health and wellness mogul, shares his unfiltered journey through entrepreneurship. He discusses the emotional toll of failing brands like Coffee Over Cardio and Paw Rangers and the lessons learned from those experiences. Ron dives into the importance of adaptability in business, revealing how success in one venture doesn’t guarantee another. He also reflects on the value of confronting ego and knowing when to pivot or persist, ultimately showcasing that failures can be just as enlightening as triumphs.

David Lindahl, the founder of Rainier Watch, turned a simple Twitter account into a thriving brand featured in REI. He shares his unexpected journey from posting weather updates about Mount Rainier to launching a successful e-commerce store. Topics include the challenges of scaling the business, navigating wholesale partnerships, and the emotional aspect of building a brand tied to a community. David also discusses the importance of authenticity, managing negative feedback, and the impact of storytelling in creating lasting customer connections.