Imagine a world where your worst gas-related fears simply… disappear. No awkward moments, no subtle side-eye glances. Just peace, dignity, and activated carbon filters.

That’s the world Collin White and his father set out to create when they launched Tootles, a Shopify store selling flatulence-filtering underwear. At first, people laughed. But then, they listened. Because for people with digestive issues, this isn’t a joke—it’s a solution.

Today on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Collin joins Kurt to talk about building a business in a deeply niche market, convincing manufacturers that fart-proof underwear is, in fact, a real thing, and finding customers who need his product (but don’t necessarily want to talk about it).

✔️ How Collin and his dad took Tootles from idea to reality
✔️ The science behind fart filtration (yes, it works)
✔️ Marketing a taboo product without making it a joke
✔️ How Tootles increases AOV with clever bundling
✔️ Why subscriptions aren’t always the answer for consumable products

Farts are funny. Business is serious. And somewhere in the middle, there’s a Shopify success story worth listening to.

🔗 Tootles Website: WearTootles.com
🔗 Kurt’s Shopify Agency: Ethercycle.com
🔗 Judge.me (Review App Used by Tootles): Judge.me

🔗 Cleverific: cleverific.com/unofficial
🔗 Zipify: zipify.com/KURT
🔗 ViralSweep: apps.shopify.com/viralsweep

"You start with ‘there’s no way this is me.’ Then you question everything. Then, eventually, you realize—this really could be me."

Ron Shah built Obvi into a $100M+ powerhouse, with $40M in top-line revenue in 2024. But not every business he touched turned to gold. Today, Ron gets brutally honest about two brands he started—Coffee Over Cardio and Paw Rangers—that didn’t go as planned.

This isn’t your typical success story. Ron shares:

• Why success in one business doesn’t guarantee success in another
• The emotional toll of failure and the ego traps that cost him money
• How to know when to walk away, pivot, or double down
• What he’d do differently if he launched these brands today

Most founders only share their wins. Ron is sharing his losses. And why, in hindsight, they might be even more valuable.

• Follow Ron on Twitter: @obviceo
• Check out Obvi: myobvi.com
• Listen to Ron’s podcast, Chew On This: Listen here
• coffeeovercardio
• pawrangers.com

• Cleverific: https://cleverific.com/unofficial
• Zipify: http://zipify.com/KURT
• Address Validator: https://www.addressvalidator.com/

• Grow your Shopify store with me: ethercycle.com/apply
• Join my newsletter for Shopify insights: kurtelster.com

📩 Enjoyed the episode? Leave a review and let us know what you think!

“Rainier Watch started as me shouting into the void about whether the mountain was out. Now, it’s a brand in REI. Didn’t see that coming.”

David Lindahl started Rainier Watch as a simple Twitter account—just a guy posting updates on whether Mount Rainier was visible that day. No business plan, no grand vision. Just a love for the mountain.

But then people started following. They started asking for stickers. And suddenly, David found himself running an e-commerce brand. What began as a hobby turned into a business selling apparel, getting into retail stores like REI, and building a loyal community of outdoor enthusiasts.

This week, we follow David’s journey—from side project to full-time business. How he scaled his Shopify store, navigated wholesale partnerships, and made every mistake possible before finally getting it right. Along the way, we look at what happens when an entrepreneur outgrows their own operation, the challenges of building a brand rooted in a specific place, and what it really takes to turn a passion into a sustainable business.

🛍 Shop Rainier Watch: https://shop.rainierwatch.com/

💡 Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify: https://cleverific.com/unofficial
🚀 Zipify – Optimize your Shopify store with Zipify: http://zipify.com/KURT
📍 Address Validator – Prevent shipping mistakes before they happen: https://www.addressvalidator.com/

🔹 Grow your Shopify store with me: https://ethercycle.com/apply
📈 See our recent client successes: https://ethercycle.com/work

In this episode of The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Brynn Snyder, co-founder of Slate Flosser, shares how she and her dentist husband tackled one of the most overlooked aspects of health—flossing. Together, they reimagined oral care with a product that could prevent gum disease, heart issues, and more.

But flossing is just the beginning. This episode dives into their journey through a $194K Kickstarter campaign, battling knockoffs on Amazon, and scaling a Shopify store with sustainability and innovation at its core.

Brynn reveals the challenges and triumphs of creating a physical product, why subscription models are key to recurring revenue, and how staying passionate can make or break your business.

Flossing might not seem revolutionary—until you hear this story.

• Slate Flosser
• Kickstarter Campaign
• Slate Flosser on Amazon

• Cleverific: https://cleverific.com/unofficial
• Zipify: http://zipify.com/KURT
• Address Validator: https://www.addressvalidator.com/

• Grow your Shopify store with me: https://ethercycle.com/apply
• See our recent client successes: https://ethercycle.com/work

Building Frizz + Co: Haircare, Shopify, and Community

Daphné Eastmond ditched the CPA grind to create Frizz + Co, a brand that says screw the stigma and celebrates textured hair. From her raw startup struggles to her bold in-person events, Daphne shares how she’s making haircare personal—and real.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why Daphne left accounting to launch Frizz + Co.
• How her personal hair struggles inspired a hero product.
• The scrappy marketing tactics that worked (and the ones that didn’t).
• How in-person events became her secret growth weapon.
• Lessons from bootstrapping, product seeding, and building a Shopify brand.

Links Mentioned:

• Frizz + Co: https://frizzhair.co
• Connect with Daphne: Instagram @frizz.co

Sponsors:

• Zipify: http://zipify.com/KURT
• Cleverific: https://cleverific.com/unofficial
• Boost Filter & Search: https://apps.shopify.com/product-filter-search

CTA:
Subscribe for more Shopify insights and stories like this! [Insert subscription link]

“Why not try it? Planet is low-risk, easy to configure, and can have a meaningful impact on your brand and the planet.”

Discover how Shopify Planet helps merchants make a positive environmental impact while boosting customer trust and conversions. David Vranicar, Shopify’s sustainability operations lead, explains how this innovative app enables carbon-neutral shipping with zero hassle. Learn how it works, why it benefits your business, and what it means for your customers.

Show Links
Shopify Planet: https://apps.shopify.com/planet
Reach out to the Planet team: planet [at] shopify.com

Sponsors:
Zipify: http://zipify.com/KURT
Cleverific: https://cleverific.com/unofficial
Boost Filter & Search: https://apps.shopify.com/product-filter-search

Work with Kurt:

• Grow your Shopify store with me: https://ethercycle.com/apply
• See our recent client successes: https://ethercycle.com/work
• Join my newsletter for Shopify insights: https://kurtelster.com/

🎙️ The Unofficial Shopify Podcast – Your go-to resource for actionable ecommerce insights.

What if your side hustle turned into an 8-figure brand selling out every week?

Also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DxGxZ20rfQI

Montana Knife Company’s Brandon Horoho shares the journey from launching during COVID to building a global brand rooted in American manufacturing. Discover how MKC redefined success with transparency, customer engagement, and relentless marketing.

Episode Highlights:

1. Why MKC chose Shopify as their platform and how it drives their success.
2. The secrets behind MKC’s 120+ consecutive weekly product sellouts.
3. How owning your email list can outshine ad spend.
4. Building a thriving direct-to-consumer brand in a competitive market.
5. The challenges and rewards of investing in local manufacturing.
6. What’s next for MKC: Pocket knives and a 50,000 sq. ft. facility.

About Brandon Horoho:
Brandon Horoho is the co-founder and CMO of Montana Knife Company, an American-made knife brand that has taken the DTC world by storm. With weekly product drops and an obsessive focus on quality, MKC has grown from a garage startup to an 8-figure powerhouse in just four years.

Show Links
Montana Knife Company: https://montanaknifecompany.com
Follow MKC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montanaknifecompany
Work with Kurt: https://ethercycle.com/

Sponsors:
Cleverific: https://cleverific.com/unofficial
Zipify: http://zipify.com/KURT
Address Validator: https://www.addressvalidator.com/

Work with Kurt:
Grow your Shopify store with me: https://ethercycle.com/apply
See our recent client successes: https://ethercycle.com/work

Devyn Merklin, former CMO of Livingood Daily, shares the raw truth behind scaling a supplement brand to $70M in annual revenue. From relentless testing to mastering Shopify funnels, Devyn provides a thoughtful analysis of the strategies that worked, the mistakes that taught valuable lessons, and how brands can apply these insights to their own growth journeys.

People

• Devyn Merklin
• Dr. Blake Livingood
• Ezra Firestone
• Randall Pitch
• Russell Brunson

Brands

• Hoonigan
• Livingood Daily
• Offset
• Smart Marketer

Apps

• Printful
• ViralSweep

Tools

• Kajabi
• ClickFunnels

Services

• Flippa
• Empire Flippers
• BuyBizSell
• The XScale

• Zipify
• Cleverific
• Boost Filter & Search

• Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group
• Leave a review
• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• See our recent work at Ethercycle
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
• Join Kurt's newsletter

“Look, if you redesign your grocery store and I can’t find the chicken or checkout clerk I like, I’m shopping somewhere else.”

How do you turn clicks into customers without falling for CRO myths? Oliver Kenyon, CEO of ConversionWise, exposes the lazy habits holding Shopify stores back and shares proven strategies to boost sales. It’s all about clarity, problem-solving, and delivering customer value—no gimmicks, just real results. This episode is packed with actionable insights to transform your Shopify store into a revenue machine.

Oliver Kenyon

Oliver's ConversionWise

Kurt Elster (Host)

• Zipify
• Cleverific
• Boost Filter & Search

• Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group
• Leave a review
• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• See our recent work at Ethercycle
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
• Join Kurt's newsletter

"I wanted to create a product that could be the yoga pant for the foot."

Rob Fraser, former pro cyclist and the founder of Outway, believes socks should do more than cover your feet. Drawing from his background in sport, Fraser has crafted a brand that blends durability with everyday style. In this episode, he shares the unlikely story of how a thousand-dollar loan sparked a $10 million business, tapping into the potential of a $50 billion market. What follows is a lesson in resilience, as Fraser discusses growth, innovation, and the quest to make socks worthy of serious consumer loyalty.

• Rob Fraser – Founder of Outway, former pro cyclist and Canadian national team member
• Outway – Rob Fraser's sock brand
• Shopify – Platform Outway uses for their e-commerce site
• Shopify Bundles App – Used by Outway for product bundling

• Zipify
• Cleverific
• Omnisend

• Ask a question in The Unofficial Shopify Podcast Facebook Group
• Leave a review
• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

• See our recent work at Ethercycle
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
• Apply to work with Kurt to grow your store.

• Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts
• Join Kurt's newsletter