Offcuts

On this episode I’m breaking down Shopify’s Summer Editions 2025 with Ben Homer, Senior Solutions Engineer at Shopify.

We cover Shopify’s new AI-powered Horizon theme and what it means for design freedom, explore the interplay between consumer- and merchant-facing AI, and dig into standout updates—from Sidekick’s new voice and screen-sharing capabilities, to split fulfilment via Ship and Carry Out, and big unlocks like Multi-Entity and Multi-Currency Payouts.

We also talk about the role of partners and agencies in a post-AI world, the future of immersive checkouts like Roblox, and whether this Editions release is quietly reshaping the platform for the next era of commerce.

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On this episode I’m talking about investing in creator brands with CJ Daniel-Nield, co-founder of Planes Studio.

We unpack why creator-led businesses are booming, the shift from personal brand to product ecosystem, and why CJ believes creators have already solved the hardest part of building a business: distribution.

We dive into projects like Skin Rocks and Mila, explore the challenges around LTV and long-term engagement, and discuss what it takes to spin a creator brand out into a standalone company. CJ also shares more on Kites—Planes’ new initiative to support creators with capital, product, and operational backing—and what the modern playbook for audience building looks like in a post-D2C world.

If you’re building, backing, or advising a creator-led brand, this one’s full of lessons and signals.

This podcast is brought to you by our friends at Omnisend. Your email marketing platform shouldn’t send you on side quests just to get help. Omnisend’s 24/7 support is always here — real people, real answers, no hold music. So good, it’s boring! Try for free today.

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In this episode, I’m joined by Matty to talk about his journey from studying marketing to shaping some of the most well-known brands in the DTC space. We go back to his days at MyProtein and Represent, where he cut his teeth in SEO and digital PR, learning first-hand how community building can and should be the core of a modern brand proposition.

Now at Cadence, Matty shares how the brand has evolved from a small startup to a company lazer focussed on fuelling athletes. We discuss what it takes to innovate in a crowded space, the importance of real connections with athletes, and why organic marketing is underrated.

We also get into the realities of scaling a business quickly, adapting to constant change, and the lessons learned along the way. If you’re interested in what it takes to build brand loyalty in competitive markets, this one’s for you.

This podcast is brought to you by our friends at Omnisend. Your email marketing platform shouldn’t send you on side quests just to get help. Omnisend’s 24/7 support is always here — real people, real answers, no hold music. So good, it’s boring! Try for free today.

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On this episode I’m chatting with Hamish McKay, co founder of Order Editing, and we’re discussing what it’s like to build a $20m app in public.

We discuss how the origins of Order Editing, the moat they’ve built by building in public, the realities and exhaustion that comes from building in public, his personal branding framework, the importance of vulnerability, why they encourage their team to build their own personal brands, the stark reality of bootstrapping, where they sit within commerce technology landscape and what life would be like after they sell for $20m.

This podcast is brought to you by our friends at Omnisend. Your email marketing platform shouldn’t send you on side quests just to get help. Omnisend’s 24/7 support is always here — real people, real answers, no hold music. So good, it’s boring! Try for free today.

Checkout Factory here.

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On this episode I’m chatting with the Jeremy Horowitz, managing partner at Because Ventures and writer of the very excellent newsletter - Let’s Buy A Biz!, and we’re debating whether buying a business is the the best business in 2025?

We start by exploring why buying a business has become popularised by social media and retiring baby boomers, why understanding financial statements is crucial for any business buyer or owner, how AI is transforming the business acquisition landscape, the power of a due diligence checklist, green and red flags to look out for when buying a business, how the current market conditions might actually be a positive and why trust is the ultimate deal breaker.

This podcast is brought to you by our friends at Omnisend. Your email marketing platform shouldn’t send you on side quests just to get help. Omnisend’s 24/7 support is always here — real people, real answers, no hold music. So good, it’s boring! Try for free today.

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On this episode I’m back with Luke Hodgson, co founder of Commerce thinking and high cohesion and we’re re-exploring a subject we discussed a few weeks back - the technology state of play.

We start with the impact of tariffs on backend operations and tech choices, the demand for low code solutions, the likelihood and shape of consolidation for the rest of the year, who the commerce platform winners and losers will be, the opportunities for new tech ventures in a volatile market, what is going on with the MACH Alliance, Shopify's recent partnership with ChatGPT and whether AI maximalists have got it right or wrong?

This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Inventory Planner by Sage. What do brands like like Astrid & Miyu, ROKA London and Passenger have in common? They all use Inventory Planner by Sage to cut excess stock by a third and scale multi-locations with confidence. Get two month’s free by following this link.

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On this episode I’m back with Luke Hodgson, co founder of Commerce thinking and high cohesion and we’re debating whether system design is a luxury or a necessity for modern brands?

Before jumping into it, we touch on how TikTok is becoming the battleground for Trump’s trade tariffs and whether Strava buying Runna is a playbook for running brands acquiring niche running clubs.

Then we get into system design. We explore the importance of establishing systems from day one, common mistakes brands make, the interplay between data and system design, the impact of AI on system design and why good system design is often a function of an ‘oh shit’ moment.

This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Inventory Planner by Sage. What do brands like like Astrid & Miyu, ROKA London and Passenger have in common? They all use Inventory Planner by Sage to cut excess stock by a third and scale multi-locations with confidence. Get two month’s free by following this link.

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On this episode I’m back with Luke Hodgson, co founder of Commerce thinking and high cohesion and we’re discussing New Product Development 101.

Before jumping into it, we recap on last week’s episode and bring you up to speed with Trump’s tariffs. We also explore what we’re hearing on the ground from brands who are trying to navigate this new trade normal.

Then we get into New Product Development 101. We start with the triggers that spawn a New Product Development process, how to forecast demand and effectively use marketing data, the importance of supplier relationships, how AI is impacting NPD, product launch failures of the last 10 years and whether Sketchers bet on Harry Kane will pay off.

This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Inventory Planner by Sage. What do brands like like Astrid & Miyu, ROKA London and Passenger have in common? They all use Inventory Planner by Sage to cut excess stock by a third and scale multi-locations with confidence. Get two month’s free by following this link.

Checkout Factory here.

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On this episode I’m back with Luke Hodgson, co founder of Commerce thinking and high cohesion and we’re discussing how to navigate Trumpenomics. Maybe some would argue, Trumpageaddon.

This was a big one. And I’ll preface the conversation with the fact that we are not economists. But we started by focusing on the impact of the recent tariff changes on brands and the broader economic landscape.

Then we got into the meat of the conversation where we discussed the uncertainty faced by brand leaders, the potential shifts in manufacturing strategies, how brands can adapt quickly, the likely changes in consumer behaviour, who the winners and losers will be, the importance of scenario planning and if there are indeed any silver lining opportunities.

This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Inventory Planner by Sage. What do brands like like Astrid & Miyu, ROKA London and Passenger have in common? They all use Inventory Planner by Sage to cut excess stock by a third and scale multi-locations with confidence. Get two month’s free by following this link.

Checkout Factory here.

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On this episode I’m back with Luke Hodgson, co founder of Commerce thinking and high cohesion and we’re discussing whether stock management is your secret marketing weapon.

Before we kick off we quickly discuss H&M announcing that they’ll be using AI models and Napster’s recent sale for $200m. Yes, Napster just got sold for $200m.

Then we get into the meat of the conversation and debate whether stock is actually a secret marketing weapon. We touch on why stock management is often overlooked compared to marketing, why brands should focus on selling everything they buy, the power of personalised promotions, the fallacy that tech is the solution to stock issues and why all brands need a stock health checkup by a qualified stock doctor.

This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Inventory Planner by Sage. What do brands like like Astrid & Miyu, ROKA London and Passenger have in common? They all use Inventory Planner by Sage to cut excess stock by a third and scale multi-locations with confidence. Get two month’s free by following this link.

Checkout Factory here.

Sign up to our newsletter here.