The Webgility Team
January 05, 2021
7 min read
The ecommerce industry’s explosive growth—online sales are expected to account for 22% of worldwide retail revenue by 2023—is throwing open the doors of opportunity for a whole new crop of entrepreneurs. However, these small online businesses soon learn that the marketplace is hypercompetitive; it’s often a daily battle for them to keep their products front and center before increasingly demanding consumers. Separating the proverbial wheat from the chaff are small sellers that stay on top of the latest ecommerce trends, leveraging bleeding-edge insights regarding technological innovation, marketing best practices, and customer-experience advancements to fuel their future business growth.
But wait a second: If you’re thinking, “Who the hell has time for all that?” you’re not alone. That’s why we put together a guide to ecommerce influencers who regularly share actionable insights small businesses can use. Check out our curated list below. Think we’re missing someone? Let us know by dropping us a line on our LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook feeds.
Austin Brawner
Known as: Chief Fixer, Brand Growth Experts; CEO of Ecommerce Influence and host of The Ecommerce Influence podcast
Specialties: ecommerce revenue growth, ecommerce acquisition and retention strategies
The Skinny: Brawner, an ecommerce business coach and host of the ever-popular Ecommerce Influence podcast, is dedicated to “helping ecommerce entrepreneurs, marketers, and freelancers unlock massive growth in their business while freeing up more time to do what they love.” His social posts and podcasts are teeming with suggestions from industry thought leaders on how to quickly scale your ecommerce business, build killer teams, and set your entrepreneurial growth on fire—without burning out.
Find him on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Linda Bustos
Known as: Director of Ecommerce at CorporateGift.com, Founder of Edgacent Ecommerce Advisors, Author at Ecommerce Illustrated, former Author of the Get Elastic Ecommerce Blog
Specialties: ecommerce revenue growth, digital strategy, online retail user experience
The Skinny: “Evangelizing all things ecommerce since 2007,” Bustos is a well-known ecommerce strategist, blogger, and thought leader. Her posts are packed with helpful advice on how businesses can achieve—and maintain—their success in the turbulent world of ecommerce. And while she’s helped some of the world’s largest brands hone their conversion rates and profitability, her content is packed with intuitive, actionable, and highly visual advice that online retailers of all sizes can leverage.
Find her on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Kunle Campbell
Known as: Ecommerce Growth Advisor and Customer Acquisition expert, Podcast Host for 2X eCommerce, International Speaker
Specialties: ecommerce customer acquisition, media planning, checkout flow
The Skinny: With his proven track record as an ecommerce expert known for coaching ambitious international retail teams on how to unlock growth, you might think Campbell is out of your price range as a small business. But his 2X Ecommerce Podcast and social posts are free, and offer best-in-class advice for D2C sellers of all sizes. He continually provides fresh insights from online retailers and ecommerce titans that have grown 7-8 figure businesses. Where to start? Check out his “Reflecting on 2020” show, where he muses about the past year and discusses both ecommerce and the life lessons he learned from it.
Find him on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Steve Chou
Known as: Founder, blogger, and podcast host of My Wife Quit Her Job; Co-Founder of Sellers Summit; Co-Founder of Bumblebee Linens
Specialties: entrepreneurship, ecommerce growth and success
The Skinny: Chou is armed with a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, but has instead spent a good portion of his career studying the “mechanics of running a small business.” Struck by a sense of complacency and wanting to spend more time with their growing family, he and his wife Jennifer started Bumblebee Linens. These days he channels his tips for others looking to escape the doldrums of a 9-to-5 life through My Wife Quit Her Job. There you’ll find a blog and podcast offering relatable, step-by-step guidance for intrepid entrepreneurs, with time-tested tips on how to build wealth via an online business.
Find him on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Marsha Collier
Known as: Author, Speaker, Consultant, and Host of Computer & Technology Radio podcast
Specialties: online customer experience, eBay business, social media marketing
The Skinny: Collier may help some of the world’s biggest brands plus-size their online customer service and community-building initiatives, but that doesn’t mean her expertise is irrelevant to smaller ecommerce businesses. Her eBay for Dummies book series is touted as the definitive guide to buying and selling success on the channel, and she co-hosts the hugely popular Computer & Technology Radio podcast. Collier is also known as a foremost expert on how to use social media to build customer relationships—and the bottom line. Find a wealth of tools, apps, and tips on her carefully curated Cool eBay Tools website, where she carries out her mission of “educating current and future online sellers.”
Find her on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Darren DeMatas
Known as: Co-founder of both Ecommerce CEO and Orbit Local
Specialties: ecommerce startups, ecommerce technology, internet marketing
The Skinny: Never heard of DeMatas? That’s by design. “You won’t see me on YouTube driving lambo’s or shooting flamethrowers on Facebook ads,” DeMatas explains. “I’d rather stay behind the scenes, quietly crushing it.” His website, ecommerceCEO, is committed to providing hype-free ecommerce guides and articles for entrepreneurs looking to learn the business from the ground up. Stay on top of his social feeds for links to his latest content, inspirational messages, and recommendations for the best technology to help you bring your “A” game.
Kurt Elster
Known as: Host of the Unofficial Shopify Podcast, Shopify Plus Expert at Ethercyle
Specialties: helping Shopify merchants grow their businesses, developing public Shopify apps, DTC growth tactics
The Skinny: A decade-long Shopify expert, Elster helps merchants uncover hidden profits in their websites through his ecommerce agency Ethercycle. His highly rated Unofficial Shopify Podcast features the world’s most successful Shopify entrepreneurs as guests, and it offers a no-holds-barred discussion of ecommerce growth strategies and tips. Check out his social feeds for exclusive and curated content about how to capture—and retain—consumers’ attention online.
Find him on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Harley Finkelstein
Known as: President of Shopify, Advisor at Felicis Ventures, Lawyer
Specialties: entrepreneurialism, ecommerce (Shopify), law, angel investing
The Skinny: “To independent business owners and entrepreneurs everywhere: As we look back on 2020 and head into 2021, two things are clear to me,” Finkelstein wrote on his Twitter feed last December. “1. The world needs more of you. 2. You’ve got this.” The post embodies Finkelstein’s online M.O.: celebrating entrepreneurs and crowdsourcing their insights on adapting to the brave new world of ecommerce. Of course he talks about Shopify. But he also speaks to the value of business relationships, the future of retail, and the power of resilience.
Hector Garcia
Known as: Accountant, Business Advisor, and QuickBooks Consultant, Quick Bookkeeping & Accounting LLC; CPA/Business Consultant, Garcia & Company P.A.
Specialties: CPA and QuickBooks consultant specializing in “manufacturers with messy inventory”
The Skinny: To describe Garcia as an expert in the world of ecommerce accounting is an understatement. He has more than a decade’s worth of experience helping small business owners with all facets of their finances—including accounting systems (he’s a QuickBooks ProAdvisor and Trainer) , income tax, technology, and business operations. But what makes him really stand out is the rich array of educational resources he offers. On his website, Garcia provides a QuickBooks Desktop and QuickBooks Online webinar series for purchase, while his YouTube channel is bursting at the seams with free QuickBooks tutorials. Make sure to keep tabs on his other social channels for a steady stream of tips and tricks.
Find him on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Alaa Hassan
Known as: Founder and Lead Coach, eCommerce Training Academy; VP Digital Commerce & Growth, Le Site
Specialties: Boosting ecommerce sales and customer loyalty
The Skinny: For more than 20 years, Hassan has been helping online brands and retailers build 8-figure ecommerce businesses via proven strategies and tactics. Whether you’re new to ecommerce or an established seller, his eCommerce Training Academy offers a wide range of content. Expect practical advice on how to build a successful team, drive traffic to your store, optimize online sales, and boost customer loyalty. “[I’ve lived and breathed] eCommerce from morning till night since 2000,” Hassan says. Why not take advantage of his passion to level-up your own business?
Steve Hutt
Known as: Creator, eCommerce Fastlane; Host, eCommerce Fastlane podcast; Merchant Success Manager at Shopify Plus
Specialties: helping Shopify DTC brands drive positive business outcomes; ecommerce acquisition, conversion, and retention strategies
The Skinny: Looking to navigate the complex world of ecommerce and delight your buyers on Shopify? Then make sure to follow Hutt. With over $50m in sales under his ecommerce belt, he’s got a plethora of real-world entrepreneurial experience, and is ready to mentor other sellers on how to “avoid the pitfalls of running an online company.” His podcast and social media posts are light on fluff and heavy on actionable tips and strategies that help sellers accelerate the growth of their ecommerce stores. Look forward to advice on how to boost your customer experience, gain a competitive advantage, build operational efficiencies, and more.
Kiri Masters
Known as: Founder of Bobsled Marketing, Co-Host, Ecommerce Braintrust Podcast, Author
Specialties: helping brands and retailers optimize their operations, marketing, and advertising on Amazon
The Skinny: The author of The Amazon Expansion Plan, Masters is, well, a master at helping consumer product brands grow their sales on Amazon. Her Ecommerce Braintrust podcast may be targeted to guiding established consumer brands on how to gain momentum online, but there are plenty of takeaways for smaller businesses as well. Check out her LinkedIn and Twitter feeds to stay on top of the latest Amazon features, trends, and discussions.
Find her on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Jody Padar
Known as: Vice President of Strategy and Author, Botkeeper; Host, Let’s Get Radical podcast
Specialties: Digital accounting, accounting technology, small business growth, leadership
The Skinny: Are you or your ecommerce accountant wasting time on busywork instead of leveraging technology to fuel business growth? You’re not alone, and Padar can help. She represents the next generation of accounting professionals known as “digital CPAs,” and is committed to facilitating a discussion about how accountants can use advanced technologies to better serve their clients and internal culture. Her book, Botkeeper for Dummies, explains why bringing automation into a CPA practice is so important, while her Let’s Get Radical podcast takes a peek into the “financial underwear drawer” of small business owners and creative freelancers, offering tips and tricks for “operating from the mindset of abundance.” You can count on Padar to be down-to-earth, compassionate, and fun.
Amy Porterfield
Known as: CEO and Podcast Host of Online Marketing Made Easy
Specialties: online marketing, promoting and selling courses online
The Skinny: Want to start an ecommerce business but in the dark about online marketing? Porterfield jumps into the trenches with you, offering a wide selection of engaging guides, podcasts, and resources on her website. Follow her on social media to get first dibs on profitable action steps for building a highly engaged email list, creating online training courses that convert, and getting real traction in your ecommerce business. Best of all, Porterfield doles out advice with a dose of humor and a lot of heart. She achieved her current place at the top after several false starts, and “discovered that building my own dream business was NOT at odds with helping others achieve theirs.”
Find her on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
Chloë Thomas
Known as: Podcast Host and Author, eCommerce Master Plan
Specialties: ecommerce marketing
The Skinny: Thomas is a globally recognized eCommerce “marketing problem solver.” She’s authored several books—including her recent bestseller, Ecommerce Marketing: How to Drive Traffic That Buys to Your Website—and is host of both the award-winning eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast and her newer Keep Optimising Marketing podcast. Her social feeds are ripe with tips for online retailers, including how to score new customers, the best ways to save time while growing your business, and the technology that will help you scale.
Find her on:
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Andrew Youderian
Known as: Founder of eCommerceFuel and Host of eCommerceFuel Podcast
Specialties: scaling an ecommerce business, ecommerce networking communities, entrepreneurialism
The Skinny: Ready to supercharge your business? You’ll want to follow Youderian, the Founder of eCommerceFuel, “the world’s best community for eCommerce store owners.” While the site hosts a private online community for 7-figure+ store owners, his other content—including podcasts, trends reports, and data-rich articles—is open to all store owners looking to build “amazing businesses and incredible lives.” Check out his social feeds for warm and inspirational advice that will help you take your success to the next level.
The Webgility Team
