Build It, Brand It, Bank It with Ayesha Santos | E-Commerce websites + Branding

Selling shouldn’t feel this heavy.

In this episode, we’re unpacking why high-sales online stores feel effortless -and why that ease has nothing to do with working harder or posting more.

I’m breaking down what’s really happening behind the scenes of stores that feel steady, predictable, and supportive… and why so many product-based business owners feel exhausted by selling even when traffic is coming in.

You’ll learn:

• Why constant promos, launches, and “scrambling” are a system problem, not a motivation one

• The difference between a store that simply hosts products and one that actually carries the load

• How high-sales stores are intentionally built to support marketing, automate follow-ups, and guide buyers

• What needs to shift if you want sales to feel like momentum.

If your Shopify store feels fragile, unpredictable, or like it needs constant attention to perform, this episode will help you see exactly why — and what effortless is actually made of.

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👉 Save your Seat for my Free Online Masterclass on Feb 10th at 10am MST.

⁠The Cult Favorite Effect: Increase Online Sales with a store people are obsessed with and actually buy from in 2026" ⁠

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👉 Grab the free Shopify Leak Check Email Series

http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie⁠⁠http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie⁠⁠

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

COME SAY HI :

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Website :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Do you actually need a fully custom Shopify website in 2026… or is that just a very expensive myth?

In this episode, I’m sharing a slightly controversial take (with receipts): most product-based businesses can make serious money using the right Shopify template - if it’s chosen and customized strategically.

We’re talking:

• Why “custom” doesn’t automatically mean “better”

• How Shopify templates have evolved (and why they’re way more powerful than people think)

• What actually matters when choosing a template for your product and customer journey

• How smart foundations beat flashy rebuilds every time

If you want a Shopify store that sells with ease, supports your marketing, and doesn’t require rebuilding your site every year, this one’s for you.

Let’s get into it.

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👉 Save your Seat for my Free Online Masterclass on Feb 10th at 10am MST.

⁠The Cult Favorite Effect: Increase Online Sales with a store people are obsessed with and actually buy from in 2026" ⁠

------------------------------------------------------

👉 Grab the free Shopify Leak Check Email Series

http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie ⁠⁠http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie⁠⁠

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

COME SAY HI :

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Website :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you want 2026 to be your highest online sales year ever, Q1 matters more than you think.

In this episode, Ayesha breaks down the three things product-based business owners should focus on right now to set their Shopify store up for consistent, scalable sales - without hustling harder or constantly pushing promos.

This episode is about working on your business early so the rest of the year feels calm, intentional, and way more profitable.

If your Shopify store could be doing more — start here.

------------------------------------------------------

👉 Save your Seat for my Free Online Masterclass on Feb 10th at 10am MST.

The Cult Favorite Effect: Increase Online Sales with a store people are obsessed with and actually buy from in 2026"

------------------------------------------------------

👉 Grab the free Shopify Leak Check Email Series

http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie⁠http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie⁠

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

COME SAY HI :

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Website :⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

You know those brands that make you stop scrolling because everything about them just feels right? That’s Jenny Lemons. 🍋

In this episode, we go behind the scenes of her Shopify website redesign — what sparked her signature aesthetic, how she’s evolved from handmade apparel to an iconic lifestyle brand, and the strategy behind making her website not just a storefront… but an experience.

Read the full Jenny Lemons Shopify Case study here

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👉 Grab the free Shopify Leak Check Email Series

http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebiehttp://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

COME SAY HI :

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠⁠⁠⁠

  Website :⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this episode, we’re breaking down the real customer journey- the messy, human, non-linear path your buyers take before ever hitting “checkout.”

You’ll learn:
1. Why your customers aren’t walking a straight line through your funnel (and what to do instead)
2. How to build a site that meets buyers at every stage of their journey - from curious to convinced
3. The four key types of shoppers visiting your site right now - and what each one needs to move forward
4. How branding and UX work together to turn browsers into buyers and buyers into lifelong fans

If you’ve been wondering why your ICA or Ideal Customer Avatar isnt really helping move the needle for your product business or how to make your Shopify store feel like it gets your customer - this is your episode.

------------------------------------------------------

👉 Grab the free Shopify Leak Check Email Series

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠⁠

COME SAY HI :

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠⁠⁠

  Website :⁠⁠⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠⁠⁠

We’re back with Part 2 of our Shopify Leak Check series — and this time, we’re digging into the sneaky growth leaks that quietly cap your revenue, even when your store is already making sales.

In this episode, we’re talking about the leaks that keep your business stuck on the scaling hamster wheel — things like:
✺ A steady stream of first-time buyers but almost no repeat customers✺ A low average order value that’s killing your margins✺An over-reliance on discounts that trains customers to wait for a sale
✺ Decision fatigue that’s tanking conversions in big catalogs✺And hidden gems on your site that no one ever finds

These are the leaks that separate the brands hustling for every sale from the ones scaling with ease. Once you know where your site is bleeding money, the fixes are clear - and the growth is fast.

------------------------------------------------------

👉 Grab the free Shopify Leak Check Email Series

http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠

COME SAY HI :

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠⁠

  Website :⁠⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠⁠

In this episode, we’re walking through the Shopify Leak Check — our signature framework for finding and fixing the money leaks hiding inside your website. Before we ever touch design, this is the first step we take with every client. Why? Because most “sales problems” aren’t marketing issues — they’re website leaks.

Here’s what we’re unpacking in Part 1:
✺Why high traffic but low sales isn’t a marketing issue — it’s a conversion gap.
✺ What a high bounce rate actually tells you about your customers’ trust.
✺The truth behind all those repeated DMs and emails from curious customers.
✺How to fix abandoned carts so you can recover the sales already within reach.

If you’ve ever looked at your analytics and wondered why your site isn’t selling the way it should, this episode will help you pinpoint exactly where to focus next.

👉 Want to check your own site for leaks?
Grab our free Shopify Leak Check Email Series — the link’s waiting in the show notes.

Next week, we’ll be back with Part 2, diving into the growth leaks that keep scaling brands stuck even when sales look good on paper. These are the ones that turn a “doing fine” store into a powerhouse.

------------------------------------------

Grab our free Shopify Leak Check Email Series

http://ayeshasantos.com/shopify-leak-check-freebie

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠⁠

COME SAY HI :

• Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠⁠

  Website :⁠⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠⁠

What if your brand could save you time, attract better clients, and give you the clarity to grow — all at once?

In this episode of Build It, Brand It, Bank It, I’m sitting down with Emily Hall of Rhetoric, the speaker strategy studio helping thought leaders turn talks into revenue. Emily and I go behind the scenes of her rebrand — from choosing a name at 2 a.m. while pregnant (yes, really) to creating a brand identity that still gets her weekly compliments over a year later.

We unpack how a strong brand is a business growth tool. You’ll hear:

• The power of brand strategy + design to eliminate decision fatigue and free up time for actual growth.

• How intentional brand positioning creates instant differentiation in an industry full of look-alike agencies.

• Why a rebrand can unlock clarity in your offers, messaging, and confidence.

If you’ve ever wondered whether investing in branding actually pays off — this conversation is proof that it does.

Hit play to hear how Emily built a brand that feels like home, attracts the right clients on repeat, and makes running her business easier .

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠Submit your application here⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠View Services⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠Sign up here⁠
  • Find Emily and Rhetorik

• 
  

  COME SAY HI :

  • Instagram: ⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign

    Website :https://ayeshasantos.com/

    
    

Today I’m sitting down with one of my past clients, Sam Chernak—a pelvic floor physiotherapist, strength coach, and the founder of Emerald Physical Therapy & Strength Studio just outside Seattle.

Sam and I worked together on a full rebrand and website for what she calls her Emerald 2.0 era: a new city, a new studio, and a business vision that finally felt like her.

In this episode, we dive into:

• What it really looks like to step into a new version of your business (and let go of old patterns).

• How branding helped Sam find clarity, confidence, and clients who instantly resonate with her work.

• The emotional side of rebranding—why it feels shaky, why it’s worth it, and how it can completely shift how you show up.

• The unique power of creating a brand and physical space that feels both safe and strong, feminine and powerful.

If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s “too risky” to invest in branding before you feel ready, Sam’s story will give you the behind-the-scenes perspective you need.

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠⁠Submit your application here⁠⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠⁠View Services⁠⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠⁠Sign up here⁠⁠
  • Find Sam and Emerald Physical Therapy and Strength online

• 
  

  COME SAY HI :

  • Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign⁠

    Website :⁠https://ayeshasantos.com/⁠

You’ve invested in the rebrand. New visuals? Check. New website? Check.

But if your “launch” is just a pretty carousel and a few stories… you’re leaving money on the table. In today’s episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on one of the biggest gaps I see in rebrands; and how I’m fixing it inside my own offers.

We’ll talk about:
Why your rebrand deserves an actual launch (not just a reveal)
→Three campaign styles you can use to drive hype and sales
→How to breathe new life into your existing offers or products
→The strategy I’ve added to my rebrand packages to make them way more profitable

Whether you’re rebranding now or it’s on the horizon, this is your permission to stop playing small with your reveal, and start building serious momentum.

Links & Resources:

• • Inquire to Work Together: ⁠Submit your application here⁠
  • Learn more about branding + website offers: ⁠View Services⁠
  • Get my " Designed to Convert" emails : ⁠Sign up here⁠

• 
  

  COME SAY HI :

  • Instagram: ⁠⁠@ayeshasantosdesign