Shopify Masters

Lulu Ge, Founder and CEO of Elix, transformed her struggle with chronic pain into a thriving herbal wellness brand rooted in Chinese medicine. She shares her journey from personal relief to realizing a market opportunity, achieving a remarkable 90% reorder rate. Lulu discusses how TikTok drove customer engagement, leading to higher lifetime value. She emphasizes the importance of health coaching and post-purchase care, which cultivate deep community ties. Elix's success showcases the fusion of cultural heritage and innovative wellness solutions.

Nima Jalali, Founder and CEO of SALT & STONE, transformed his passion for clean personal care into a $100M+ brand after an ACL injury shifted his path from professional snowboarding. He discusses how he created a high-performing deodorant after multiple iterations and reveals the secret strategy that made retailers like Sephora approach him—without ever pitching. Nima shares insights on building an enduring brand, the importance of team dynamics, and applying athlete discipline to business success, all while maintaining a strong digital identity.

Teri Johnson, founder of Harlem Candle Company and Harlem Perfume Company, turned a kitchen side hustle into a multimillion-dollar fragrance empire. She shares how her passion for storytelling rooted in the Harlem Renaissance guided her brand's identity. From selling out pop-ups to selling scents online without samples, Teri highlights her groundbreaking marketing strategies. She reveals the importance of community support, genuine customer engagement, and maintaining operational integrity, all while prioritizing peace over endless growth.

Lanny Smith, a former professional basketball player and founder of Actively Black, shares his inspiring journey of turning purpose into profit. Before launching, he built a community of 10,000 followers, showcasing the power of demand-first thinking. Lanny discusses how purpose-driven branding led to $55,000 in first-day sales and $2 million in the first year, despite facing inventory challenges. He highlights key partnerships with brands like Marvel and emphasizes the importance of aligning values with investors and fostering long-term customer trust.

In this episode, Taza Chocolate co-founders Alex Whitmore, a bean-to-bar expert, and Kathleen Fulton, a design visionary, explore their unique journey. They discuss the importance of staying true to product integrity and ethical sourcing, which helped them navigate challenges. Alex highlights how being polarizing creates a strong market niche, while Kathleen reflects on their commitment to craftsmanship. The duo also shares insights on direct trade with farmers and the value of perseverance in business. Tune in for their inspiring entrepreneurial story!

In this engaging discussion, Gloria Hwang, Founder and CEO of Thousand, shares her journey of transforming the bike helmet industry with stylish designs that appeal to first-time wearers. Inspired by a personal tragedy, Gloria reveals her mission to save lives through a lifetime crash replacement guarantee. She explores the failure of fear-based marketing, the importance of understanding customer needs, and how adopting a design-led approach has helped her brand expand globally. With insights on balancing leadership and motherhood, Gloria encourages founders to prioritize solving real customer problems.

Catherine Lockhart, the founder of Shelter Skin and a former management consultant turned clean-beauty entrepreneur, shares her journey from TikTok creator to brand builder. She emphasizes a slow, sustainable growth strategy and discusses the challenges of handling in-house production. Catherine reveals how her DIY approach, including repurposing equipment, has become integral to her success. With a focus on radical transparency, she critiques the clean beauty industry and highlights the importance of trust with customers, while also detailing her ambitions for retail expansion.

Matthew Burrows, the founder of Plant Material, a unique Los Angeles nursery specializing in California-native plants, shares his journey from a passion for horticulture to running a thriving business. He discusses his strategic inventory management techniques, using mobile tracking to avoid overstock and maximize efficiency. Matthew emphasizes the importance of forging strong relationships with growers to forecast demand accurately. He also highlights how effective SEO makes his small operation competitive against big retailers like Home Depot, all while fostering a community-centered experience.

Stephanie and Mo Reid, co-founders of MiJa Books, share their inspiring journey from a home library to a nearly $1 million business dedicated to diverse children's literature. They reveal how customer feedback prompted a pivot from senior care to book fairs, leading to a thriving enterprise. Listen as they discuss the lessons learned from pop-up shops, the operational challenges of running school book fairs, and their innovative strategies using giveaways and automation to grow their reach. Their story is a testament to creativity and resilience in business!

Lindsey Carter, the founder of Set Active and a rising star in the athletic-wear industry, shares her remarkable journey from facing a down year to making $1 million in just an hour. She reveals her game-changing strategies for building a strong community of super fans and discusses how she utilizes AI tools to streamline operations. Lindsey candidly opens up about hiring challenges and emphasizes the importance of transparency and vulnerability in forging customer loyalty. Get a glimpse of her upcoming collaborations and the power of momentum in business!