The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

Kurt Elster, Paul Reda
  • 4.7 (259)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

NEW EPISODES EVERY TUESDAY, SUBSCRIBE FOR UNBEATABLE ECOM RECON – Every Tuesday since 2014, host Kurt Elster shares the Shopify success stories that nobody tells you about, straight from the entrepreneurs living it. Subscribe for a raw look at what it really takes to succeed on Shopify.

  1. Why This Agency Dropped Paid Media (And Got Bigger)

    11H AGO

    Why This Agency Dropped Paid Media (And Got Bigger)

    "I kinda told myself I need to take a step back from e-commerce. When I took a step back, e-commerce said no and put me back in." Amer Grozdanic burned out running paid media for brands. The results were good — but never good enough. So he walked away, rebuilt his agency around what he could actually control, and landed clients like MVMT Watches and Billie Eilish without spending a dollar on ads. Today, Praella works with brands up to $400M in revenue, and Amer's seen the same blind spots in almost every store. We dig into the Shopify features most merchants ignore (B2B, Markets, Flows, Collective), why BattlBox's Whatnot channel converts 10X better than TikTok Shop, and the one question you should ask any agency before signing a retainer. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSWatch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/J3QTUEVulFcPraella: praella.comAmer on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amergrozdanicWhatnot: whatnot.comBattlBox: battlbox.comShoplift (A/B testing): shoplift.comIntelligems (A/B testing): intelligems.ioShopify Collective: shopify.com/collectiveShopify B2B: shopify.com/plus/b2bShopify Flow: shopify.com/flowWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    1h 17m
  2. ERP Explained w/ GoodDay's Kyle Hency

    FEB 10

    ERP Explained w/ GoodDay's Kyle Hency

    For most direct-to-consumer brands, the term "ERP" evokes dread. Six-month implementations. Six-figure costs. Software built for factories, not Shopify stores. Kyle Hency experienced that pain firsthand. He scaled Chubbies Shorts past $100 million in revenue, and along the way, his "sophisticated" spreadsheet system (built by a former banker) completely fell apart. The breaking point? When Nordstrom called wanting to stock Chubbies, and his team realized they had no infrastructure to even accept the order. That painful lesson led Hency to raise $13.5 million for GoodDay Software, an ERP designed from day one for Shopify merchants. In this episode, we demystify what an ERP actually is, identify the warning signs that a brand has outgrown spreadsheets, and explore why the traditional barriers to operational infrastructure are finally falling for smaller businesses. Hency makes the case that it doesn't have to be this hard anymore. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSGoodDay Software: https://gooddaysoftware.comKyle on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/kylehencyThe Normal Brand case study: https://bit.ly/4bzwcFMWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    38 min
  3. Influencer Whitelisting: What It Is & How to Start

    FEB 3

    Influencer Whitelisting: What It Is & How to Start

    Here's something most merchants don't realize: you can run paid ads through an influencer's handle instead of your own. It's called whitelisting, and it converts about 15% better. Brad Hoos, CEO of Outloud Group and owner of Shopify store MuskOx Flannels, has been doing influencer marketing since YouTube was mostly cat videos. In this episode, he breaks down how whitelisting works step by step, why he thinks of creators as "decentralized media companies," and what most brands overthink when they're just getting started. SPONSORSSwym — Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific — Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify — Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT Promo Party — Kurt's new app for free gift with purchase promotions promoparty.app LINKSOutloud Group: https://outloudgroup.comMuskOx Flannels: https://gomuskox.comWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    48 min
  4. The Financial Blind Spot Costing 7-Figure Stores Millions

    JAN 27

    The Financial Blind Spot Costing 7-Figure Stores Millions

    "You can't control tariffs. You can't control the weather. But you can control what's happening within your business." Salena Knight has audited thousands of retail businesses since 2007 and found that 4 out of 5 seven-figure stores share the same blind spot—and it's not marketing. It's money. We talked about why inventory is secretly taxable cash sitting on your shelves, how one brand increased profit margins 30% by auditing their pick-and-pack costs, and why running a 30% off sale on luxury products got zero orders. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT Promo Party Pro - Boost sales with promotional campaigns promoparty.app LINKSBringing Business to Retail Podcast: https://salenaknight.com/podcastSalena Knight: https://salenaknight.comThe Retail Academy: https://theretailacademy.comWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    51 min
  5. A Mushroom Brand's Bet Against Booze

    JAN 20

    A Mushroom Brand's Bet Against Booze

    "I would have invested 100% of all of the money that we raised into Meta. I would have done nothing else but secure that one channel first." After launching Troop, a functional mushroom gummy brand, Jake Mellman discovered that community events and sampling don't pay the bills. What does: Meta ads, a 76% contribution margin, and defaulting customers to quarterly subscriptions. Now he's applied those lessons to Psilly Goose, a functional beverage targeting the 46% of American adults who've stopped drinking. The challenge: THC restrictions, heavy shipping costs, and a farm bill that could shut him down by November. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSTroop Mushroom Gummies: https://trytroop.comPsilly Goose: https://drinkpsillygoose.comPrevious episode with Jake & Stephanie: https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/jake-mellman-stephanie-moyalBreeze (Aaron Nosbish episode): https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/aaron-nosbish-breezeWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    52 min

  6. JAN 15 · BONUS

    The First Shop Mini

    "Shop has this amazing opportunity to convert shoppers into people that are being entertained by shoppable content." Bill Staley built the first Shop Mini to launch on Shopify's Shop app. Food Social brings 10,000+ shoppable recipes to 200 million potential users. We dig into why Shop is Shopify's most underrated channel, how personalization matches recipes to purchase history, and why intent-based shopping beats interruption marketing every time. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSFood Social: https://foodsocial.ioFood Social App (iOS & Android): Search "Food Social" in app storesEmail Bill: bill@foodsocial.ioWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    27 min
  7. The Period Brand That Won $1.5M in Pitch Contests

    JAN 13

    The Period Brand That Won $1.5M in Pitch Contests

    Dana Roberts spent years watching fifth-grade girls panic through their first periods with ill-fitting products and no preparation. The period care aisle hadn't changed in decades. Same brands. Same sizing that was never designed for a 10-year-old's body. When she pitched the idea to her god-sister, Dr. Monica Williams, she got a polite brush-off. Years later, Monica's own daughter started showing signs of puberty, and suddenly the problem wasn't theoretical anymore. What followed was a brutal education in bootstrapping: churning through agencies, surviving iOS 14.5, and funding an entire company through pitch competitions because traditional VCs wouldn't write checks. Last year, a three-minute pitch won them $1 million from Pharrell Williams. Then Ulta told them to change their name if they wanted shelf space. They did it in 90 days. Now Scarlet by RedDrop is in almost 400 stores trying to fix something the industry ignored for generations. We talked about all of it, including the part where Monica says she wishes she'd never bootstrapped at all. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSScarlet by RedDrop: tryreddrop.comUlta product page: ulta.com/brand/scarlet-by-reddropBlack Ambition Prize: blackambitionprize.comKlaviyo: klaviyo.comSmart Marketer: smartmarketer.comWORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    49 min
  8. The €330M Exit Guy Shares His Europe Playbook

    JAN 6

    The €330M Exit Guy Shares His Europe Playbook

    "We were close to closing the company two or three times. Every winter was like, okay, that's it. Goodbye company." Chris Erthel built Meller sunglasses from a Spanish side project into a brand that sells a pair every 28 seconds. Along the way, he helped scale HelloBody from €30M to €107M as fractional CMO before its €330M exit to Henkel. We talked about why US brands fail in Europe, the cultural quirks that kill conversions in Germany, and why Italy requires cash on delivery or you're dead on arrival. He's run 3,500+ A/B tests and shares counterintuitive findings that challenge everything you think you know about landing pages and ad creative. SPONSORSSwym - Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more getswym.com/kurt Cleverific - Smart order editing for Shopify cleverific.com Zipify - Build high-converting sales funnels zipify.com/KURT LINKSMeller Brand: https://mellerbrand.com/Weavy AI: https://www.weavy.ai/Rory Flynn (AI Content): https://www.instagram.com/_roryflynn_/Chris Erthel LinkedIn: https://es.linkedin.com/in/chriserthelDiscount Code: CHRISERTHEL (highest discount ever at Meller)WORK WITH KURTApply for Shopify Help ethercycle.com/apply See Our Results ethercycle.com/work Free Newsletter kurtelster.com The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who've built thriving ecommerce businesses.

    48 min
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4.7
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259 Ratings

About

NEW EPISODES EVERY TUESDAY, SUBSCRIBE FOR UNBEATABLE ECOM RECON – Every Tuesday since 2014, host Kurt Elster shares the Shopify success stories that nobody tells you about, straight from the entrepreneurs living it. Subscribe for a raw look at what it really takes to succeed on Shopify.

Information

  • Creator
    Kurt Elster, Paul Reda
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    521
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © ETHERCYCLE LLC. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
  • Show Website
    The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

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