Home
Categories
EXPLORE
True Crime
Comedy
Society & Culture
Business
Sports
History
News
About Us
Contact Us
Copyright
© 2024 PodJoint
00:00 / 00:00
Sign in

or

Don't have an account?
Sign up
Forgot password
https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts211/v4/8c/73/d9/8c73d9d8-d4e3-12af-1d61-479857583e09/mza_573789958743887831.jpg/600x600bb.jpg
eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection
Steve Hutt | Shopify and eCommerce Expert
429 episodes
3 days ago
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 cover Shopify apps and best practices, digital marketing and retention tactics, AI and automation tools, as well as operations and logistics that reduce overwhelm while building lasting customer loyalty. 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 430+ industry leaders who've been exactly where you are. This isn't content for content's sake. It's the insight you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's succeeded at every level, helped hundreds of others do the same, and has the pattern recognition to show you what actually works at your current stage. 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
Show more...
Marketing
Business,
Entrepreneurship
RSS
All content for eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection is the property of Steve Hutt | Shopify and eCommerce Expert and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
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 cover Shopify apps and best practices, digital marketing and retention tactics, AI and automation tools, as well as operations and logistics that reduce overwhelm while building lasting customer loyalty. 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 430+ industry leaders who've been exactly where you are. This isn't content for content's sake. It's the insight you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's succeeded at every level, helped hundreds of others do the same, and has the pattern recognition to show you what actually works at your current stage. 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
Show more...
Marketing
Business,
Entrepreneurship
https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts211/v4/8c/73/d9/8c73d9d8-d4e3-12af-1d61-479857583e09/mza_573789958743887831.jpg/600x600bb.jpg
Why Unilever Moved 50% Of Ad Budget To Micro-Influencers (And How Shopify Brands Can Copy This)
eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection
51 minutes
3 months ago
Why Unilever Moved 50% Of Ad Budget To Micro-Influencers (And How Shopify Brands Can Copy This)

Today, we're diving into one of the most powerful—yet often misunderstood—strategies for Shopify brands: micro-influencer marketing.

If you're tired of celebrity endorsements that feel inauthentic and paid ads with questionable ROI, this episode is for you. We're exploring how authentic voices, strategic product seeding, and user-generated content can actually supercharge your growth while reducing those brutal acquisition costs we all know too well.

My guest is William Gasner, Co-founder and CMO of Stack Influence—a marketplace that's connected brands with over 11 million vetted micro and nano creators. But here's what makes William different: he's not just talking theory. He's a six-time founder who's scaled multiple seven-figure Shopify businesses before building the platform he wished existed when he was in the trenches.

Stack Influence isn't your typical SaaS database where you're left to figure things out. It's a living, two-sided marketplace that automates hundreds—sometimes thousands—of collaborations monthly. Think of it as where "give a product, get a post" is just the beginning.

William shares some eye-opening insights, like why major brands such as Unilever are shifting 50% of their budgets away from traditional Meta and Google ads toward influencer tactics. More importantly for most of you listening, he explains why smaller brands often see their best ROI from curated, genuine recommendations rather than big-money sponsorships.

We break down how social platforms are evolving, why content now matters more than follower count for reach, and how Stack Influence's unique "pay for outcome" model actually guarantees results—while most platforms only offer hope.

Whether you're scaling your Shopify brand and thinking about Q4 strategy, or you're a founder just launching your first product, this episode gives you a tactical roadmap to build real trust, amplify word-of-mouth marketing, and extract maximum value from every UGC asset—not just for social, but across your ads, website, and retention strategies. 

 

Check out his YouTube channel here for more strategies!

Reach out to us! We welcome questions and comments about this episode. Connect with us here or through our socials — your feedback is always welcome.

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook

For more ecommerce, marketing, and growth strategies, check out the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog. 

eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection
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 cover Shopify apps and best practices, digital marketing and retention tactics, AI and automation tools, as well as operations and logistics that reduce overwhelm while building lasting customer loyalty. 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 430+ industry leaders who've been exactly where you are. This isn't content for content's sake. It's the insight you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's succeeded at every level, helped hundreds of others do the same, and has the pattern recognition to show you what actually works at your current stage. 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