From Farmers Markets to 5,000 Stores: How Taza Chocolate Stayed True and Grew
Taza Chocolate didn’t follow trends—it built a lasting brand by doubling down on its differences. Founders Alex Whitmore and Kathleen Fulton share how staying true to their product, owning their manufacturing, and leading with purpose helped them weather crises and grow a resilient business.For more on Taza Chocolate and show notes click here
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How to Save Lives & Build a Brand
While the bike helmet industry screamed "you need this for safety!", Gloria Hwang did the opposite. She made helmets so beautiful that 25% of Thousand customers are wearing helmets for the first time ever. Thousand now offers helmet and bike accessories in 20+ countries with financial backing from REI and the Clif Bar Family Office. Gloria talks all things customer loyalty, business branding, and nailing your product roadmap for maximum impact. She intimately shares how a personal tragedy inspired a mission to save 1,000 lives, and how that number grew to 1,300+ through their lifetime crash replacement guarantee. You’ll learn the counterintuitive strategy that made safety cool, and why Thousand wins with culture instead of competing on tech features. For more on Thousand click here. You’ll learn: Why fear-based marketing fails and what works insteadThe psychology insight that built a $10M+ brand across 20+ countriesHow 25% of customers are first-time helmet wearersTransitioning from maker to manager over 10 yearsTaking back the product roadmap to return to core differentiationWhy solving customer problems beats chasing growth at all costsChapters:00:00 Introducing Gloria Hwang, Founder & CEO of Thousand1:30 How to Change Customer Behaviors 4:11 The Personal Tragedy That Started Thousand & The Design Philosophy That Wins Every Time5:15 Why 25% of Customers Are First-Time Helmet Wearers7:30 Steps to Get Further Differentiated & Beat Out The Competition 9:55 Strategies for Collecting High-Quality Customer Insights 16:00 Expanding to 20+ Countries & Quality Standards19:50 The BEST Advice Gloria Has Ever Gotten 24:30 The Hardest Transition Gloria Went Through & How to Tackle People Problems 29:20 What to Ask for When Pitching Investors (Surprise, it’s NOT Money) 32:48 How Motherhood Changed Her Approach to Business
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How One TikTok Creator Built a Brand That Sells Out on Repeat
How founder Catherine Lockhart built Shelter Skin through deliberate growth, in-house manufacturing, and radical transparency.For more on Shelter Skin and show notes click here
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The Retail Strategy That Lets Us Compete With Home Depot (Inventory Advice)
Matthew Burrows didn't start Plant Material with a big budget, but through strategic inventory management and real-time tracking, he's built a three-location business growing 50% year-over-year. Today, the business competes against giants like Home Depot and Lowe's, taking pride as the #1 search result on Google. In this heartfelt conversation Matthew shares the exact systems that allow him to never overstock, eliminate waste, and maintain the illusion of endless inventory. All while operating with a lean team and minimal capital! Plant Material acts a safe-haven for community gatherings as they offer California-native and regionally appropriate plants, gardening tools, and other art objects in three different Los Angeles nurseries. You’ll learn the ins and outs of merchandising, plant nursery management, and the inventory technique that saves Matthew 6-figures in revenue. For more on Plant Material click here. You’ll Learn:How Matthew uses mobile inventory tracking to buy only what he needs in real-timeWhy strong grower relationships allow ultra-lean operationsThe forecasting method that predicts seasonal demand with precisionHow to make a small retail operation appear much larger than it isWhy online showcasing (not just selling) drives foot trafficThe SEO strategies that help Plant Material compete without ad spendChapters:00:00 Introducing Matthew Burrows, Cofounder of Plant Material 1:08 How to Achieve 50% Year-Over-Year Growth (Despite Challenges) 2:44 Defining Your Mission– The Do’s & Don’ts3:34 Why to View Competition As A Good Thing (Even Home Depot)5:25 The Best Tips From 15 Years Of Retail Experience 7:30 How to Scale Brick-And-Mortar First, Online Second8:15 How Shopify Showcases Real-Time Inventory to Save Plant Material 6 Figures12:17 Build an Efficient Supply Chain + Inventory Management Systems Tools 17:55 Steps to Prepare for Seasonality In Business 20:23 Building Gardens for The Community + Events That Make An Impact23:42 The Key to Appearing Bigger Than You Are (The SEO Secret)
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Inside the Pivot That Helped This Family Business Hit Nearly $1 Million in Revenue
MiJa Books grew from a side project to a nearly $1M business by turning customer feedback into smart pivots, book fairs, and scalable systems.For more on MiJa Books and show notes click here
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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.
New Zealand