

Shopify Masters
Shopify
Ready to build your business, but not sure where to start? Shopify Masters gives you the real stories and strategies behind successful entrepreneurship. Each week, we talk with founders and e-commerce experts who have launched, grown, and scaled real businesses. Learn how to turn your first idea into a product, run ads that actually work, and find suppliers you can trust. Our guests share lessons learned so you can avoid common mistakes and move faster.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 11, 2020 • 56min
How This Direct to Consumer Brand Disrupted the Cookware Industry
In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur who found a unique way of using their supply chain as a source for marketing, which data metrics played a big role in their successful marketing strategies, and how they disrupted the cookware industry. For more on Made In and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/madeincookware-disruptionTune in to learnWhat is involved in doing a whole redesign of an ecommerce siteWhat you should focus on when improving your product pageHow to use your suppliers and manufacturers as a source of your marketing
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Feb 4, 2020 • 53min
From Class Project to Kickstarter to Shark Tank
In this episode, you’ll learn from these two entrepreneurs who turned their class project into a 6-figure businessKanga invented and patented the world's first iceless cooler designed to fit around an entire case of 12 oz. beverages.For more on Kanga and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/kanga-sharktankTune in to learnHow to collect early feedback from your initial beta customersThe value of setting your pricepoint higher than what it’s currently worthWhat kind of retargeting photos work best for their ads
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Jan 28, 2020 • 48min
The Business of Planners: How to Create Products and Return Customers
In this episode, you’ll learn form an entrepreneur who got well known in the planner community by posting content on Facebook GroupsChasing Planner Peace sells a range of refillable, customizable planners with the widest range of planner refillsFor more on Chasing Planner Peace and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/chasingplannerpeace-productTune in to learnHow you can build a customer base with custom work, but should quickly move to selling non-custom productsHow to promote your business in other people’s Facebook groupsHow to determine if people are actually going to pay for a product instead of just saying they would
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Jan 21, 2020 • 47min
The Business of Celebrations: How Retail Enabled this Party Boutique to Thrive
While shopping for her daughter’s birthday, Rachel Huntington noticed the limited amount of designs for party supplies. Seeking out non-commercial and more creative partyware, Rachel started Bonjour Fete, a boutique for party goods, tableware, decor and all things event design. In this episode of Shopify Masters, Rachel shares her journey of launching online, operating two physical stores, and building relationships with return customers.For more on Bonjour Fete and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/bonjourfete-partyTune in to learnHow to use social media to contact vendors instead of spending lots of money to go to trade showsThe most important metrics to pay attention to when running a physical retail storeHow to create an Instagram feed that drives traffic to your product page
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Jan 14, 2020 • 54min
How Purpose Fuelled this Business to Keep Going
In this episode, you’ll learn from an entrepreneur on why and how to figure out WHY you are starting your businessSo Worth Loving is a lifestyle company bridging the gap between not talking about self worth and talking about it.Tune in to learnWhy and how to figure out your WHY when starting your businessHow to transition from your full time job to your own businessHow to manage entrepreneurship burnout
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Jan 7, 2020 • 55min
Bullet Journal’s Journey Through Kickstarter, Publishing, and Production
What started as a way to keep track of his day to day and combat ADHD, Ryder Carroll’s method of Bullet Journal gained a massive following online as he shared his journaling process. From a published book to a successive product, Ryder shares how his intention of solving a common problem led to a new direction in his life and career. The Bullet Journal is the analog system for the digital age that lets you track the past, organize the present, and plan your future. For more on Bullet Journal, Ryder Carroll, and the show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/bullet-journal-methodology Tune in to learnHow to showcase how your customers are using your productsWhy you should never be afraid of giving away too much free contentWhy they created a companion app for their products
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Dec 31, 2019 • 52min
How $100 Bottle of Hot Sauce Brings the Heat and Virality
Brothers Nadim and Rami Yahia grew up mixing together condiments and hot sauces to create their own concoctions. They turned this habitual sauce mixing into CustomHeats, a hot sauce business that allows customers to create their own sauces and labels by bridging the food industry with tech and data. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you’ll hear from Nadim Yahia of CustomHeats on marketing with a low budget, developing hardware, and how their $100 bottle of hot sauce went viral. For more on CustomHeats and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blogcustomheats-viralTune in to learnThe challenges with creating a business that allows customers to fully customize their productHow to use a $100 marketing budget to get on big publicationsHow they used their Instagram content to validate their market
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Dec 10, 2019 • 55min
How Instagram Brings Ventana Surfboards a Wave of Sales
David Dennis was showing some of his photography for a fundraiser when he discovered the complexities of ocean conservation and how surfboards can be made more sustainably. Together with partner Martijn Stiphout, David runs Ventana Surfboards, maker of boards handcrafted from upcycled and reclaimed material. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you’ll hear how David Dennis balances his career at Microsoft while running Ventana Surfboards, the key components of running an impactful sustainable business, and how Instagram drives most of their sales. For more on Ventana Surfboards and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/ventanasurfboards-instagramTune in to learnHow to talk about your brand at a fair or trade showHow to collaborate with artists to turn their audience in to your customersHow they sold a $15,000 surfboard from a post on Instagram
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10 snips
Dec 3, 2019 • 48min
The Power of Content: How 1 Article Generated $22 Million in Sales
In partnership with the late model and makeup artist Cindy Joseph, Ezra Firestone helped to build BOOM by Cindy Joseph, an age-positive cosmetic line for women of every generation. As an ecommerce growth expert, Ezra has been known to share insights on building brands that resonate with consumers and stand the test of time. In this episode of Shopify Masters, Ezra Firestone shares his life and business journey and the most important lessons he’s learned along the way. For more on BOOM by Cindy Joseph, Ezra Firestone, and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/boombycindyjoseph-brandTune in to learnWhat is the love, demo, love video and why is it such an effective marketing toolWhy you should not drive your traffic straight to a product page and where to drive it to insteadWhere to reinvest in your brand and company
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Nov 26, 2019 • 52min
FinalStraw's Journey of Building a Cause Driven Business
Emma Cohen’s time in Thailand exposed her to the effects that single-use plastics had on the ocean. She spent most of her days there cleaning up the washed-up plastic waste on beaches. Emma was so moved by this experience that she returned to school and completed a Master’s in environmental management and sustainability from Harvard. After working for over five years in sustainability research, Emma poured herself into developing a collapsible and portable stainless steel straw and launched FinalStraw in 2017.For more on FinalStraw and show notes: https://www.shopify.ca/blog/finalstraw-causeTune in to learnHow you can use Amazon reviews to create a superior productWhat’s the best use of your time when preparing for a crowdfunding campaignHow to balance marketing your cause versus marketing your product
Subscribe and watch Shopify Masters on YouTube!Sign up for your FREE Shopify Trial here.