

eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection
Steve Hutt | Shopify and eCommerce Expert
Running a Shopify store? You already know success isn't about finding the right app—it's about knowing which strategies actually work at your specific stage of growth.
I'm Steve Hutt, and I've lived every level of the ecommerce journey. From eBay Power Seller shipping products from my garage, to co-founding and scaling VisionPros.com (an optical DTC startup) through to a successful exit, then spending 6+ years as a Shopify Merchant Success Manager helping 100+ brands from startup to enterprise scale, including working with teams at Tentree, Dr. Squatch, Bulletproof Coffee, Salt & Straw Ice Cream, MUD/WTR, Bokksu, and many more.
Here's what makes this podcast different: I've been on both sides of the table.
6+ years working inside Shopify gave me access to what's coming before most merchants know it exists. Building, scaling, and successfully exiting my own ecommerce businesses taught me what actually works when your money and reputation are on the line. That combination of insider access plus real operator experience gives you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.
Since 2018, eCommerce Fastlane has delivered over 430 episodes and more than 2 million downloads to ambitious Shopify founders and marketers. Every week, I chat with operators, developers, and experts who share what's actually moving the needle right now—not theory, but patterns I've seen work consistently across dozens of brands at multiple stages.
Whether you're launching your first store or scaling past seven figures, every episode gives you stage-aware strategies you can implement this week. We dig into Shopify apps, digital marketing, retention tactics, AI tools, and the operational stuff that actually reduces overwhelm—while building customer loyalty that lasts.
You'll learn how to leverage emerging tech without losing what makes your brand unique. You'll also hear real founder stories, including lessons from my own journey building and exiting a DTC brand, plus insights from guests across 430+ episodes who've been exactly where you are.
This isn't content for content's sake. It's what you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's built, scaled, and exited—and helped hundreds of others do the same.
Ready to grow smarter, not just faster? Join thousands of founders and marketers in the eCommerce Fastlane community through our podcast, newsletter, blog, and forthcoming book "Thriving with Shopify."
Steve Hutt
DTC Founder | Podcast Host
Find Us Online
Website: eCommerceFastlane.com
Newsletter: FastlaneInsider.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shutt
X: x.com/stevenhutt
Instagram: instagram.com/ecommercefastlane
Email: steve@ecommercefastlane.com
I'm Steve Hutt, and I've lived every level of the ecommerce journey. From eBay Power Seller shipping products from my garage, to co-founding and scaling VisionPros.com (an optical DTC startup) through to a successful exit, then spending 6+ years as a Shopify Merchant Success Manager helping 100+ brands from startup to enterprise scale, including working with teams at Tentree, Dr. Squatch, Bulletproof Coffee, Salt & Straw Ice Cream, MUD/WTR, Bokksu, and many more.
Here's what makes this podcast different: I've been on both sides of the table.
6+ years working inside Shopify gave me access to what's coming before most merchants know it exists. Building, scaling, and successfully exiting my own ecommerce businesses taught me what actually works when your money and reputation are on the line. That combination of insider access plus real operator experience gives you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.
Since 2018, eCommerce Fastlane has delivered over 430 episodes and more than 2 million downloads to ambitious Shopify founders and marketers. Every week, I chat with operators, developers, and experts who share what's actually moving the needle right now—not theory, but patterns I've seen work consistently across dozens of brands at multiple stages.
Whether you're launching your first store or scaling past seven figures, every episode gives you stage-aware strategies you can implement this week. We dig into Shopify apps, digital marketing, retention tactics, AI tools, and the operational stuff that actually reduces overwhelm—while building customer loyalty that lasts.
You'll learn how to leverage emerging tech without losing what makes your brand unique. You'll also hear real founder stories, including lessons from my own journey building and exiting a DTC brand, plus insights from guests across 430+ episodes who've been exactly where you are.
This isn't content for content's sake. It's what you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's built, scaled, and exited—and helped hundreds of others do the same.
Ready to grow smarter, not just faster? Join thousands of founders and marketers in the eCommerce Fastlane community through our podcast, newsletter, blog, and forthcoming book "Thriving with Shopify."
Steve Hutt
DTC Founder | Podcast Host
Find Us Online
Website: eCommerceFastlane.com
Newsletter: FastlaneInsider.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shutt
X: x.com/stevenhutt
Instagram: instagram.com/ecommercefastlane
Email: steve@ecommercefastlane.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 5, 2023 • 44min
Create The Ultimate Unboxing Experience Through Custom Eco-Friendly Packaging With Phil Akhzar Of Arka
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Phillip Akhzar, the Founder and CEO of Arka.Phil Akhzar learned about the importance of eco-friendly packaging through his work in supply chain logistics and industrial engineering. He discovered how important it was to have sustainable packaging that was accessible and affordable, to make sure the impression a customer received was consistent with the brand ethos. He was determined to make sustainable packaging accessible to all businesses and ensure his customers had a guilt-free checkout experience. Through hard work and dedication, Phil achieved his goal and provided a high-quality product to his customers.According to a recent study, 85% of consumers globally have indicated that they have shifted their purchase behavior towards being more sustainable in the past five years. This is the time to invest in eco-friendly packaging for your business to meet the growing customer demand and combat climate change.You can use the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, please get in touch with us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookWe love your feedback!Are you hungry for continued knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 26, 2023 • 57min
Marketing Attribution Is Broken For Shopify Stores. Here’s How To Fix It With Pavel Petrinich Of SegmentStream
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Pavel Petrinich the Co-Founder and CRO of SegmentStream.SegmentStream is a Conversion Modelling Platform that helps e-commerce & D2C brands drive more sales by providing them with real-time marketing attribution insights. Marketers rely on attribution data to make informed budget allocation decisions, while ad platforms like Google and Facebook Ads use this information to optimize their auto-bidding and targeting algorithms. However, current analytics tools can no longer provide accurate and timely attribution insights due to modern cookie restrictions and complex customer journeys that involve multiple browsers and devices. SegmentStream stands out from other tools by utilizing its proprietary Conversion Modeling technology to accurately measure the incremental value of each website visit into future, predicted conversions, rather than past conversions. This ensures that each traffic source receives the proper value, even if the actual conversion occurs from another device, browser, or cookie. By evaluating website visits in real-time, marketing teams can identify growth opportunities, and ad platforms receive crucial real-time feedback on the incremental value of each ad click. SegmentStream is an official partner of Meta and Google, as well as trusted by L'Oreal, KitchenAid, Omnicom Media Group, and more than 50 other e-commerce brands and agencies.Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information and tooling. It's my hope today's podcast is impactful in assisting you in your Shopify store with implementing high-converting pages to maximize your revenue.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23, 2023 • 46min
Supercharge Your Shopify Store Through High-Converting Landing Pages With Yuxin Zhu Of Replo
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Yuxin Zhu the Co-founder of Replo.Replo is a visual web development platform that allows teams to create beautiful high-performance landing pages on Shopify, without the need for developers. They are light years ahead of other page builders when it comes to customization and page speed. They have a library of hundreds of proven landing pages and sections that anyone can use, as well as certified Experts who can help build new pages in just a few days.Design is a constant experiment and you have to be always testing and iterating to find the perfect balance between form and function for maximum conversion. Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information and tooling. It's my hope today's podcast is impactful in assisting you in your Shopify store with implementing high-converting pages to maximize your revenue.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23, 2023 • 30min
Gain A Competitive Edge With Conversational AI Shopping Experiences With Yoav Oz Of Rep AI
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Yoav Oz, the Co-founder and CEO of Rep AI.Rep is a conversational AI “sales closer” for Shopify ecommerce stores.They enable merchants to maximize their marketing budget by saving soon-to-be-lost traffic and turning them into customers.It automatically finds disengaged customers and provides them with a guided conversational customer experience, helping the site visitor with whatever they need to increase the chance for conversion by 25%.Customers can browse, get recommendations, get product-related information and check out via conversations 24/7.Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information and tooling. It's my hope today's podcast is impactful in assisting you in your Shopify store with improving conversion rate and AOV.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 23, 2023 • 39min
Validate And Optimize Paid Media Investments Through Incrementality Experiments With Trevor Testwuide Of Measured
Trevor Testwuide, Co-founder and CEO of Measured, shares his insights on incrementality intelligence for media optimization. He explains the importance of measuring the true impact of advertising through controlled experiments. The conversation dives into the challenges of traditional attribution methods and highlights how cohort-based methodologies adapt to privacy regulations. Testwuide emphasizes the need for ongoing experiments in paid media on platforms like Facebook and TikTok to optimize marketing strategies and improve outcomes for brands.

Feb 12, 2023 • 48min
Drive Significant Incremental Revenue By Expanding Your Product Mix With Sina Djafari Of Duoplane
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Sina Djafari from Duoplane.Duoplane is an order management platform for Shopify merchants who drop ship or work with multiple fulfillment partners. They help ecommerce merchants to manage and automate their dropship and 3PL workflow by automating order processing, inventory syncing, and vendor payments. Merchants that use distributed fulfilments can scale their business and lower costs but it can be difficult to manage. That’s where Duoplane comes in. They simplify and streamline the whole process of syncing inventory, processing orders, and paying vendors.Unlike other apps, Duoplane is highly configurable and works with all kinds of vendors and workflows.They have extremely fast implementation and a high dedication to great service. There’s never been a better time to implement an order management app as distributed fulfillment is becoming more available with a growing number of vendors wanting to dropship.Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience,Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 12, 2023 • 42min
Shopify Stores Can Now Say Goodbye To Affiliate Links And Discount Codes With Anders Bill and Andy Cloyd Of Superfiliate
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guests are Anders Bill and Andy Cloyd of Superfiliate.Superfiliate is a platform that automates the creation of personalized storefronts for a Shopify brand's best customers and creators to get the most out of their word of mouth programs. These personalized storefronts give Superfiliates access to a brand's best media content, while also allowing them to customize their storefronts with their own user-generated content, reviews and favorite products. Most referral and influencer programs drive shoppers to a homepage or product page that totally cuts the customer or creator out of the commerce experience. With Superfiliate, merchants can automate the creation of thousands of personalized storefronts and drive a higher activation and conversion rate. Shopify merchants can leverage Superfiliate to run all their word of mouth programs in one place across referral/loyalty, ambassador, affiliate and influencer. Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience,Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 11, 2023 • 44min
Collaborate Your Way To Success With Influencers And Creators With Brett Owens Of Afluencer
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Brett Owens & Collab Matchmaker of Afluencer.Afluencer is the easiest way for Shopify brands to find, meet and start “Collabing” with social media micro-influencers and creators. Over 20,000+ influencers are actual users of their app – which means they can make direct introductions for you to new partners. Relevancy is their specialty. They help you meet influencers who have followers that meet the profile of your ideal customer. Whether you need a Jazzercise instructor in Kansas City, a skincare creator in Los Angeles or anything in between, Afluencer can make that collab happen.Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce Seo, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencers, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience,Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 31, 2023 • 41min
Shopify Stores Are Exploiting A Massively Profitable Direct Mail Channel At Scale With Dave Fink Of Postie
In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Dave Fink, the Founder and CEO of Postie.com.Dave Fink thinks the best kept secret in marketing is hiding where you least expect it — your mailbox. Over a 20-year career he’s generated hundreds of millions of dollars in ad revenue, powered viral sensations like Dollar Shave Club, and helped launch celebrity startups for Jessica Simpson, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, and Kate Bosworth. Now as founder and CEO of Postie, he’s out to reinvent direct mail marketing for a digital world. Building a successful Shopify business requires not only hard work and dedication, but also access to the right information.Take advantage of the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, feel free to reach out to us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookYour feedback is always welcome!Are you hungry for knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information. TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce Seo, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencers, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 17, 2023 • 45min
10X Your Browse And Cart Abandonment Email And SMS With Adam Robinson Of Retention.com
In today’s Shopify ecommerce podcast, my guest is Adam Robinson, the Co-Founder and CEO of Retention.comRetention.com helps Shopify stores to grow their abandonment revenues. Your customers can only receive abandoned cart emails if they’re logged in to Shopify. Think about that.Think about how many people aren’t logged in to your store right now that are putting things in their cart.If someone bought on their laptop and is shopping on their phone, they don’t get a message. For the 98% of your traffic where you didn’t capture their email address, they aren’t getting a message.Retention.com helps Shopify stores harness the power of identity to scale abandonment sends by up to 10x.This directly leads an increase in conversions which flows straight through to the bottom line.Let's jump in a learn more!Profitably GROW and SCALE your Shopify business with the resources mentioned in today's ecommerce podcast episode.Have any questions or comments about this episode? We can be reached here: eCommerceFastlane.com/contact or through our social channels. We love hearing from our listeners!Looking to grow and scale revenue for your Shopify ecommerce store profitably? Click here, eCommerceFastlane.com, for the latest strategies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


