Creative Strategies to Fundraise Without Sacrificing Ownership

Sisters Niki and Ritika Shamdasani launched Sani to fill a gap in the South Asian fashion market—one that forced 82% of South Asian Americans to travel abroad for wedding attire. Discover how they secured funding and grew Sani into a thriving business.For more on Sani and show notes click here. 

Divy Ojha became passionate about creating a solution for food waste as a university student, and began building relationships to start a grocery delivery business. He discusses approaching potential partners and maintaining good relationships, plus the big change he made to make Odd Bunch's value proposition better for both customers and suppliers.For more about Odd Bunch and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/odd-bunch-relationshipsSubscribe to the Shopify Masters YouTube channel for video interviews.

Waterboy built a thriving hydration brand with just $700 by focusing on one platform, capturing prelaunch interest, and pivoting quickly. Learn why restraint beats trying to do everything at once.For more on Waterboy and show notes click here.

April and Daryk Mall turned their after-work hobby of caring for plants into Unsolicited Plant Talks—a thriving business with a loyal online community. Learn how they scaled from selling plant cuttings at their kitchen table to running a full-time operation with multiple greenhouses.For more about Unsolicited Plant Talks and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/unsolicited-plant-talks-hobby-to-businessSubscribe to the Shopify Masters YouTube channel.

A former Charlotte Tilbury founding team member revolutionized sustainable beauty by turning food waste into luxury skin care. See how My Skin Feels proved eco-friendly brands can be both profitable and fun.For more on My Skin Feels and show notes click here. 

Matthew Scanlan, co-founder of cashmere company Naadam, shares how his company started with a daring ride across the Gobi Desert and $2.5 million in cash. Matthew discusses the challenges of launching a direct-to-consumer brand in today’s market, including securing funding, managing cashflow, and leveraging AI.For more about Naadam and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/naadam-financingSubscribe to the Shopify Masters YouTube channel for video interviews.

Kindred Label founder Cassidy Caulk built a patented luxury shoe brand from scratch, mastering everything from cobbling to engineering. Get actionable tips for product development, manufacturing partnerships, and protecting your invention.For more on Kindred Label and show notes click here. 

Reverie scaled to Sephora without funding, grew a salon affiliate network of more than 1,000, and built a multimillion-dollar clean beauty empire through intentional product development and community marketing.For more on Reverie and show notes click here. 

Alice Li, founder and CEO of First Day, shares her journey of building a values-driven company in the health and wellness space. Discover how her family's history shaped the brand and its mission to prevent nutritional trauma for future generations. Alice discusses the art of connecting with modern moms—the primary household purchasers—and the significance of authenticity and trust in a crowded vitamin market. Gain insights on effective marketing strategies, product development, and the importance of adapting to consumer preferences. Don't miss this fascinating conversation on standing out in the wellness industry. Subscribe now for a dose of inspiration and entrepreneurial wisdom.   

From getting laughed out of stores to selling at major retailers—discover how Fur’s founders built a multimillion-dollar beauty brand in an untapped market with just $10,000.For more on Fur and show notes click here.