Company

Collin, Ryan, and Austin Gill wanted money to buy toys, so their parents said, “Get a job.” Instead, the three brothers, all under 13 years old, started their own candle company, Frères Branchiaux, learning business skills between football practice and video games.

Shopping for some pricy speakers got Andrew Lissimore looking into buying them directly from the manufacturer. After scoring a pricing sheet, Andrew realized there's a healthy margin and an opportunity to sell online. When his first sale came in a few weeks later, Andrew knew he was onto something. In this episode of Shopify Masters, you'll learn how Andrew Lissimore got the domain for Headphones.com, how he scored a feature on CNET, and what him to pivot into headphones from speakers. 

Vivian Kaye is the CEO of Kinky Curly Yaki, a brand that makes premium textured hair extensions for Black women. When Vivian saw an opportunity to start a business that celebrates Black beauty, she went all in, and grew it into a million-dollar company. This is how it happened.

Queer Eye isn’t a makeover show. It’s a how-to guide to owning your life. And you don’t have to “strugg to func” in personal grooming or home decor to actually learn a thing or two. How to be a boss—in the shower, in business, in life—according to the Fab Five.

Rowena and Frank Montoya lived a comfortable life until 2009, when the couple was forced to sell everything and start from scratch. While living on a fraction of the duo’s former income, Rowena turned her homemade caramels into a successful business. Here, she shares their story of starting from scratch—and what motivates them to keep going.

Many regard the YouTube algorithm as a complete mystery—a higher power that rules over your view counts, completely outside of your control. Except that isn't exactly true. Here's how the YouTube algorithm works, according to Google engineers who worked on it, and how you can work with it to unlock more views on YouTube.

A partnership formed at a wedding in July 2016—and not just at the altar. At an upscale restaurant in Nairobi, Ashleigh Gersh Miller and Sandra Zhao bonded over a dress—a dress that works for any occasion, from a reporting trip in remote South Sudan to an urban wedding. Soon, the two agreed to start a fashion business together, and Zuri was born.

For Oh My Goodness founder Ramya Ragupathi, who still works two side jobs to pay the bills, financial success sometimes seems impossible. When pressed, though, Ramya notes she feels successful because she hits her goals and makes a difference in people’s lives.

When you think of Shopify, what initially comes to mind? Whether it’s dropshipping t-shirt businesses or maker shops, you’re likely thinking about physical products—small businesses creating and curating goods to sell in store or ship around the world. But when we say “product”, we’re talking about more than just tangible things.

 

For years, Jenn Harper battled addiction and was once on the brink of losing everything. Then, she rebuilt her life, focusing her energy on creating Cheekbone Beauty—a sustainable brand that gives back to her Indigenous community. Here, Jenn explains how she overcame alcoholism, generational trauma, and the challenges of starting her business with just $500.