🎙 Episode 216: Why Now Is the Best Time to Start an Ecom Business Episode Description

"This is the best time, I think, better than when I got into the industry over 15 years ago to get started in e-commerce." – Ezra Firestone

In this special episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on an exclusive session from the Smart eCommerce course. Ezra Firestone is joined by Laura Paladino and Kurt Elster to talk about the evolution of ecommerce—and why there’s never been a better moment to dive in.

From Laura’s journey working four jobs (including Cracker Barrel) to becoming Director of Retention at an 8-figure brand, to Kurt’s eBay hustle during the Furby craze, you’ll walk away inspired—and armed with strategic advice on how to grow in this booming industry.

You Will Learn:

• Why ecommerce has the lowest barrier to entry right now

• How to avoid overwhelm and choose the right learning path

• What “Shopify nerds” have known for years (and you should too)

• Real stories of career transformation through ecommerce

• Why marketing is all about making the backend prettier for the frontend

• Where to find trustworthy, high-impact education (and what to avoid)

Links & Resources

• 🎓 Smart eCommerce Course

• 🧠 Kurt Elster – The Unofficial Shopify Podcast

• 📈 Hyros – Advanced Attribution Tracking

• 🌐 Smart Marketer

Timestamps

02:17 – Ezra shares why this is the best time to start in ecommerce 02:24 – Meet Laura and Kurt 03:31 – Kurt on getting started with eBay 05:03 – Laura’s journey from Cracker Barrel to Boom 06:17 – What surprised Laura most about marketing 08:41 – Advice for new ecommerce learners: avoid overwhelm 09:27 – Don't be afraid to use Shopify’s powerful documentation  10:21 – Laura’s framework for learning in a noisy space 11:14 – Ezra’s advice: Follow the course and focus

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