Sara Olsher started Mighty + Bright as a handmade calendar to help her toddler cope with divorce. A decade (and one breast cancer diagnosis) later, it’s a full-time Shopify business helping kids, adults, and neurodivergent folks navigate tough life stuff with visual structure. In this episode, Sara shares how she bootstrapped the brand, embraced customer feedback, and scaled with purpose—not just ad spend. You’ll learn: How personal chaos sparked a viral product line Why bootstrapping kept her b...
Jun 24, 2025•49 min•Ep. 567
Also on YouTube: youtu.be/4lOLw1k4ocA Shopify VP of Retail, Ray Reddy, joins to walk through what’s new in POS V10. Faster checkouts Split fulfillment Custom branding Better search If you sell in person, this episode is for you. Show Links Shopify POS Shopify Editions (Summer 2025) Ray Reddy on LinkedIn Sponsors Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify Boost AI Search & Filter – Frictionless Product Discovery with AI Work with Kurt Grow your S...
Jun 17, 2025•39 min•Ep. 573
Watch on YouTube Shopify unveiled a sweeping AI-first vision at Editions.dev 2025, and it's got their partners buzzing. In this episode, we go beyond the keynote to bring you on-the-ground reactions from developers, partners, and skeptics alike. Featuring interviews with: Anne Thomas (Design Packs) Ezra Firestone (Zipify) Jamil Bhuya (Otherhalf Studio) Karl Meisterheim (Liquid Weekly) We dig into: Horizon's AI-generated blocks Shopify’s global product catalog push The looming idea of a multi-sto...
Jun 10, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 572
What if your Shopify brand could sell 16 million cans and hit $28M in its first full year? Aaron Nosbisch did just that with BRĒZ, a microdose drink brand that taps into the decline of alcohol, the rise of wellness, and a smarter ecommerce playbook. In this episode, he breaks down the entire journey—from ignored category to household name. Show Links Aaron Nosbisch: https://twitter.com/AaronJNosbisch BRĒZ: https://drinkbrez.com Lucyd: https://www.wearelucyd.com Sponsors: Zipify – Build high-conv...
Jun 03, 2025•37 min•Ep. 571
Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fXKVcwl8FS8 How a BOGO Deal Bootstrapped Neven Eyewear to Millions Jonathan Strauss lost a $500 pair of sunglasses jet skiing—and turned that wipeout into Neven Eyewear. What began as a desperate liquidation promo turned into a DTC breakthrough. In this episode, Strauss reveals how a buy-one-get-two offer saved his brand, what’s changed with Meta ads, and why scaling a bootstrapped Shopify store takes more grit than cash. Learn: Why BOGO x3 worked when nothing e...
May 27, 2025•52 min•Ep. 570
Still trying to crack the SEO code in 2025? Jeff Oxford has worked on 300+ eCommerce sites, and he’s here to share what actually works for Shopify merchants now. From why your $300 product may be killing your rankings to how AI tools can scale your SEO ops, Jeff cuts through the noise. This episode delivers a tactical, no-fluff breakdown of SEO strategy in a search landscape increasingly shaped by AI, user behavior, and smarter content. Sponsors: Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels: zip...
May 20, 2025•51 min•Ep. 569
Also available on YouTube: youtu.be/m9YTxRsosJA Meta just rewrote the Facebook ads playbook—and Shopify merchants need to catch up. In this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast , ad strategist Kurt Bullock (Produce Dept) breaks down how Meta’s new AI-driven ad system, Andromeda , is reshaping targeting, delivery, and scale. From embeddings and vectors to Advantage+ campaigns and creative testing, this is the update your ad strategy needs. Whether you’re running Facebook ads yourself or just...
May 13, 2025•45 min•Ep. 568
Also available on YouTube: youtu.be/l8ANgFlZK0Y It started with a sock. A turtle sock. That led to a Shopify store, a wholesale boom, and—accidentally—an agency. In this episode, Lucy Jeffrey shares how she turned Bare Kind from a seasonal side hustle into one of Faire’s fastest-growing brands. She walks us through surviving seasonality, scaling through B2B, ditching paid ads, and launching a service business that helps other brands win on Faire. A story about survival, strategy, and what happen...
May 06, 2025•44 min•Ep. 565
Also available on YouTube: youtu.be/Pi20dFaHoVg Ben Attwood left agency life to create a men’s skincare brand he actually wanted to use. With no investors, no marketing budget, and no prior product experience, he built Clubhouse Skin using TikTok, Shopify, and a lot of trial and error. In this episode, Ben shares how he: Sold out his first product run—twice Built a loyal customer base by building in public Used Shopify Sidekick to find superfans and boost conversions Leveraged AI to do what agen...
Apr 29, 2025•41 min•Ep. 566
Also available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XXSr4Po30oY Paid ads are busted. SEO is back but weirder. Gen Z isn’t using Google. What now? VC Smriti Jayaraman pulls back the curtain on the Shopify brands building futuristic funnels today. We’re talking AI quizzes, voice search, digital oracles, and tech that reads your face to guess your shirt size. It’s strange. It’s smart. And it works. 💡 What We Cover: Why AI search is reshaping ecommerce—and how to rank in it How Shopify brands are using gam...
Apr 22, 2025•49 min•Ep. 564
Her fans call her "The Queen of Air Fryers." She gave away recipes. Her fans demanded a cookbook. One $15 PDF later, Cathy Yoder had a 5-figure launch weekend—and she hasn't looked back. With over 700K subscribers, Cathy built a content-powered Shopify business that turns viewers into superfans (and customers). In this episode, Cathy breaks down: How to use YouTube as your #1 lead-gen channel Building products based on comment section gold What flopped, what worked, and why done > perfect Int...
Apr 15, 2025•47 min•Ep. 562
Pit Viper isn’t for everyone. And that might be the secret to its success. It starts with a guy on a ski trip. His sunglasses break. So, naturally, he walks into a military surplus store, finds an old pair of ballistic glasses from the early 90s, and thinks, these are perfect. Fast forward a few years, and those surplus shades—once traded for beers and ski lifts—have turned into Pit Viper , a brand worth millions. But here’s the question: how do you build a business that doesn’t just sell sungla...
Apr 08, 2025•44 min•Ep. 559
Two Shopify Partners get real in an AMA packed with listener questions. Store spying tricks, AI fails, bold 2025 predictions, a garage full of jacked-up cars, and a sneak peek at their next app. What you’ll learn: How to spy on Shopify stores using public endpoints and browser tools What’s broken (and what’s promising) in Shopify’s new AI tools How devs actually use ChatGPT to write Shopify code Email marketing best practices, including double opt-in insights A look behind the scenes at a new Sh...
Apr 01, 2025•40 min•Ep. 563
Lady Gaga has a new Shopify site. But this isn’t just a merch store. It’s a stage, a story, a digital home —built to evolve as fast as she does. Her team needed something different. A site that could change overnight and feel as immersive as her albums. So they went headless, partnering with Commerce-UI , a Shopify agency known for pushing boundaries. In this episode, Shopify Partner Michal Klim takes us inside the build: How Hydrogen and Oxygen power a site that never stands still. Why merch sa...
Mar 25, 2025•31 min•Ep. 560
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 ...
Mar 18, 2025•47 min•Ep. 561
Are you making one of these Shopify mistakes? If so, you’re losing sales. In this episode, The Unofficial Shopify Podcast host Kurt Elster teams up with Bold Commerce co-founder Jay Myers to reveal the top 10 mistakes that Shopify merchants make—some of which even big brands get wrong. From neglected checkouts to bloated main menus, they share simple, actionable fixes that can boost conversions and keep customers coming back. What You’ll Learn: The #1 checkout mistake that kills trust (and how t...
Mar 11, 2025•53 min•Ep. 558
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 ...
Mar 04, 2025•37 min•Ep. 557
"You start with ‘there’s no way this is me.’ Then you question everything. Then, eventually, you realize—this really could be me." Ron Shah built Obvi into a $100M+ powerhouse, with $40M in top-line revenue in 2024. But not every business he touched turned to gold. Today, Ron gets brutally honest about two brands he started—Coffee Over Cardio and Paw Rangers—that didn’t go as planned. This isn’t your typical success story. Ron shares: Why success in one business doesn’t guarantee success in anot...
Feb 25, 2025•50 min•Ep. 556
“Rainier Watch started as me shouting into the void about whether the mountain was out. Now, it’s a brand in REI. Didn’t see that coming.” David Lindahl started Rainier Watch as a simple Twitter account—just a guy posting updates on whether Mount Rainier was visible that day. No business plan, no grand vision. Just a love for the mountain. But then people started following. They started asking for stickers. And suddenly, David found himself running an e-commerce brand. What began as a hobby turn...
Feb 18, 2025•47 min•Ep. 554
In this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast , Brynn Snyder, co-founder of Slate Flosser, shares how she and her dentist husband tackled one of the most overlooked aspects of health—flossing. Together, they reimagined oral care with a product that could prevent gum disease, heart issues, and more. But flossing is just the beginning. This episode dives into their journey through a $194K Kickstarter campaign, battling knockoffs on Amazon, and scaling a Shopify store with sustainability and in...
Feb 11, 2025•43 min•Ep. 553
Building Frizz + Co: Haircare, Shopify, and Community Daphné Eastmond ditched the CPA grind to create Frizz + Co, a brand that says screw the stigma and celebrates textured hair. From her raw startup struggles to her bold in-person events, Daphne shares how she’s making haircare personal—and real. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: Why Daphne left accounting to launch Frizz + Co. How her personal hair struggles inspired a hero product. The scrappy marketing tactics that worked (and the ones that...
Feb 04, 2025•47 min•Ep. 550
“Why not try it? Planet is low-risk, easy to configure, and can have a meaningful impact on your brand and the planet.” Discover how Shopify Planet helps merchants make a positive environmental impact while boosting customer trust and conversions. David Vranicar, Shopify’s sustainability operations lead, explains how this innovative app enables carbon-neutral shipping with zero hassle. Learn how it works, why it benefits your business, and what it means for your customers. Show Links Shopify Pla...
Jan 28, 2025•47 min•Ep. 551
What if your side hustle turned into an 8-figure brand selling out every week? Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DxGxZ20rfQI Montana Knife Company’s Brandon Horoho shares the journey from launching during COVID to building a global brand rooted in American manufacturing. Discover how MKC redefined success with transparency, customer engagement, and relentless marketing. Episode Highlights: Why MKC chose Shopify as their platform and how it drives their success. The secrets behind MKC’s 120+ cons...
Jan 21, 2025•50 min•Ep. 552
Devyn Merklin, former CMO of Livingood Daily, shares the raw truth behind scaling a supplement brand to $70M in annual revenue. From relentless testing to mastering Shopify funnels, Devyn provides a thoughtful analysis of the strategies that worked, the mistakes that taught valuable lessons, and how brands can apply these insights to their own growth journeys. Links People Devyn Merklin Dr. Blake Livingood Ezra Firestone Randall Pitch Russell Brunson Brands Hoonigan Livingood Daily Offset Smart ...
Jan 14, 2025•52 min•Ep. 549
“Look, if you redesign your grocery store and I can’t find the chicken or checkout clerk I like, I’m shopping somewhere else.” How do you turn clicks into customers without falling for CRO myths? Oliver Kenyon, CEO of ConversionWise, exposes the lazy habits holding Shopify stores back and shares proven strategies to boost sales. It’s all about clarity, problem-solving, and delivering customer value—no gimmicks, just real results. This episode is packed with actionable insights to transform your ...
Jan 07, 2025•45 min•Ep. 548
"I wanted to create a product that could be the yoga pant for the foot." Rob Fraser, former pro cyclist and the founder of Outway, believes socks should do more than cover your feet. Drawing from his background in sport, Fraser has crafted a brand that blends durability with everyday style. In this episode, he shares the unlikely story of how a thousand-dollar loan sparked a $10 million business, tapping into the potential of a $50 billion market. What follows is a lesson in resilience, as Frase...
Dec 31, 2024•43 min•Ep. 545
Kevin Lavelle’s got a knack for big ideas and starting fresh. First, he took on menswear with Mizzen+Main, bringing performance fabric to dress shirts and making them a hit with pro athletes and office rebels alike. Now he’s back with something new—a baby monitor. Yep, from dress shirts to baby tech. In this episode, he breaks down the whole journey: the wild beginnings, early mistakes, and how he built a brand from scratch, twice. It’s a sharp take on the wins, the losses, and why some ideas ju...
Dec 24, 2024•50 min•Ep. 543
“We’re doing about 1,500 pairs a day… we’re gonna hit eight figures this year, probably next year for sure.” You know that favorite pair of sunglasses you can’t throw away? Brandon Dill turned that frustration into an 8-figure business. He’s the founder of Fuse Lenses, a brand built on bringing those scratched shades back to life. In this episode, we trace Brandon’s journey from side hustle to scaling a manufacturing business, built on curiosity, ingenuity, and a lot of hustle. But it’s not all ...
Dec 17, 2024•43 min•Ep. 544
Tired of logging into five different portals just to make a return? Shopify says enough. Patrick Millegan joins Kurt Elster to talk about the new customer account extensions, designed to simplify logins, reduce support headaches, and make online shopping enjoyable again. It’s a step forward for UX that proves e-commerce should be easy for everyone. Links Get all the info on what's new: Shopify Editions Winter ’25 More people & links: Patrick Millegan (Senior Product Lead, Shopify) Kurt Elste...
Dec 11, 2024•43 min•Ep. 547
Mindset, AI, and ghost hunting— Smart Marketer Live wasn’t your typical marketing event. We break down the big ideas that got us thinking (and laughing) in Denver. You'll get an inside look at the conference, featuring attendee interviews that explore themes like artificial intelligence in business, strategic reinvestment, and the evolving role of mindset in small business success. Sponsors Zipify Cleverific Omnisend Help the show Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group L...
Dec 10, 2024•44 min•Ep. 546
