It happens to all businesses at some point - the crossroads. In 2012 my business, GroomStand.com, was there. We had spent the last several years on the Netsuite platform. We moved to Netsuite for all the “right” reasons, SAAS, great database, an all-in-one system and oh yeah, eCommerce. Well, the eCommerce thing never really panned out. Netsuite was archaic and expensive to develop on and for a small business like ours, it wasn’t the best solution - lesson learned. I was ready to cut bait and run, but really wasn’t sure which way to run. I did what any good entrepreneur would do, I googled “best e-commerce platforms” and boy did I see a lot of opinions. I read and read until I couldn’t read anymore. Amazingly, I was able to narrow my list down to two platforms - Shopify and Big Commerce. After another couple of weeks of getting under the hood and testing, the clear leader was Shopify. These guys had figured it out-- an eCommerce platform that was both nimble and scalable. Moving GroomStand.com to Shopify is a decision I have never regrated, especially after attending this year’s Unite conference where I got to see some really cool features in the pipeline.
I’ll admit it, I’m a technology addict. When I see a company putting out cool and totally useful tech, I get excited. It was around 2013 that I started to play around with the Shopify App store and after landing on The Printful App, I could smell a new business idea. I had, as a result of running GroomStand.com for some many years, built strong supplier relationships in the personalized gift space. I assumed that as Shopify inspired entrepreneurs and businesses to build more online stores, the demand for drop ship products would continue to increase. So once again, I did what any good entrepreneur would do, I said &^%$ it and decided to launch a new business. Now that I had the business in place, I needed to figure out the model and technology to get it to market - a bit of a cart before the horse thing. I got studious for a quick second and wrote a short business plan, mapped out the app process flow and studied different types of technologies that might be used to build the platform. I searched for the best developers for the job. From Brazil, to Estonia, to Pakistan, I finally ended right back home, in Sonoma County, CA. The team I engaged practiced the Agile Development process. Four months later and an amazingly smooth development process (Agile, you rock), we had the Personalization Pop App ready to go. Submitting my application to the Shopify App team and preparing for the official launch in the App Store was one of my most exhilarating entrepreneurial moments to date.
Sometimes the entrepreneurial process takes you in fun and exciting directions. Advising small business owners on eCommerce was definitely one of those. Soon after launching PersonalizationPop I was given the opportunity to become the eCommerce Adviser for the SBDC (Small Business Development Center) in Sonoma and Marin Counties. This was an amazing opportunity, I mean after all, I was going to have the chance to share my successes and failures with people who were looking to start or grow their own businesses. The need was real. After only a couple of weeks into my new advising career, my calendar started filling up with entrepreneurs wanting to build their own eCommerce empires. I loved every moment of it. The SBDC advising lead to an engagement with the Renaissance Entrepreneurial Center in San Francisco where I had the opportunity to teach several sessions on how to build an online store. Entrepreneurs walked out of the 3-hour sessions with a fully functional Shopify eCommerce Store complete with tools and tips on how to grow their business. During this time, I connected with a local design, development and SEO firm who was interested in launching an eCommerce focused firm. We soon launched Zenergylabz, a Shopify Expert. I spent 12-months helping Zenergylabz solidify their pricing model, find the right developers and designers and build some really kick ass sites for our clients. My advising/consulting gig had become a full-fledged business and just like that, aha, another business was launched. aOa Commerce (just in case you’re wondering, aOa stands for Avery, Owen and Asher my three amazing kids) is a full-service eCommerce consulting company helping small to midsize companies launch and grow their online businesses. We recently completed the online store for the leading North Bay Newspaper, the Press Democrat. You can read more about the store and our development process here.
I share the above experiences as testimonials to my unbridled belief that Shopify is the best eCommerce platform for businesses of all sizes. These guys are killing it and I want to be a part of a team like that! My businesses have served me well, teaching me the best practices in building and launching eCommerce companies. My businesses are setup to run without me and I am now ready for the next challenge. I am ready to be a Shopify Plus Launch Manager! I will bring a level of knowledge, dedication and enthusiasm to this position that will enlighten customers and help grow this division. Bottomline, I am meant for this position!