Harley Finkelstein, the president of Shopify, joins the podcast to discuss the current state of e-commerce and the role of Shopify in the retail industry. They talk about the growth of e-commerce during the pandemic and its return to more normal levels. The conversation also focuses on the changing role of physical retail and the need for authenticity in brand experiences. We highlight the rise of new brands and opportunities in the retail space, as well as Shopify's commitment to shipping cool products. We also discuss the importance of turning aspirational entrepreneurs into actual entrepreneurs and the benefits of being part of the Shopify community. We conclude the discussion on improving the customer journey and the value of long-term relationships with customers.

​Shopify invests in certain companies to make the e-commerce experience easier for merchants worldwide. They have a competitive advantage due to their amazing ecosystem of partners, which includes major players like Google and Meta who deeply integrate with Shopify. The goal is to build 80-90% of what most merchants need, and for the remaining 10-20%, they invest in partners who excel in those areas. One such partnership was with Max to quickly launch a buy now pay later product. Shopify also highlights the importance of mobile experiences and recommends apps like Tapcart to create customized and branded mobile applications. Overall, Shopify's mission is to empower more brands and entrepreneurs by simplifying the customer journey and providing the necessary tools for success.

Highlights:
0:00 - Intro
​0:24 - We welcome Harley to Chew on This.
​1:14 - Shopify's role in connecting people and building relationships in the creator economy.
​3:00 - The growth of e-commerce during the pandemic and its return to more normal levels.
​4:04 - The changing role of physical retail and the need for authenticity.
​5:36 - The rise of new brands and opportunities in the retail industry.
​6:57 - Shopify's upcoming summer edition and their commitment to shipping cool products.
​8:02 - Focus on turning aspirational entrepreneurs into actual entrepreneurs.
​10:17 - The benefits of being part of the Shopify community for entrepreneurs.
​11:10 - Improving the customer journey and increasing customer value.
​12:11 - The importance of follow-up and long-term relationships with customers.
​14:59 - Shopify invests in certain companies to make commerce easier.
​15:44 - Shopify's competitive advantage is its amazing ecosystem of partners.
​16:01 - Partners like Google and Meta deeply integrate with Shopify.
​17:00 - Shopify aims to build 80-90% of what most merchants need.
​18:01 - Shopify invests in partners who are the best at what they do.
​19:21 - Shopify partnered with Max to quickly launch a buy now pay later product.
​21:24 - Apps like Tapcart make it easy to build beautiful mobile experiences.
​24:06 - Shopify aims to make the customer journey less complicated.
​26:10 - Shopify has helped entrepreneurs like Ben Francis of Gymshark succeed.
​27:19 - Shopify's mission is to empower more brands and entrepreneurs.

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