11 E Commerce Implementation Consulting Business Success Stories [2024]
E-Commerce consulting business targets sellers who lack experience and resources, helping them create, optimize, and execute product listings and storefronts to achieve their business goals and objectives.
eCommerce implementation consultant can provide complete catalog management or selected services, where the agency will assist online sellers on things like online advertising campaigns. Therefore, the consulting agency plays an essential role in helping the business meet its goals.
Starting an e-commerce implementation consulting agency is a massive and lucrative business opportunity. To be successful, you must put in hard work, research, dedication, and an adequate budget. By working hard and researching, you can maximize your potential to start and build a successful business.
In this list, you'll find real-world e-commerce implementation consulting business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a e-commerce implementation consulting business that makes money.
1. LeafLink ($19.2M/year)
Ryan G. Smith and Zach Silverman came up with the idea for LeafLink after recognizing the fragmented and inefficient state of the cannabis supply chain. In 2015, they saw that as legalization progressed, cannabis businesses lacked the basic tools and systems other industries took for granted. Both Smith and Silverman had extensive backgrounds in technology and startups, which helped them identify the gap and envision a solution.
Before diving in, they conducted thorough research by visiting states like Colorado and Washington, analyzing how cannabis retailers and brands operated. They observed that many businesses were manually managing inventory and sales, often using rudimentary methods like whiteboards and text messages. These inefficiencies highlighted the need for a streamlined, digital B2B marketplace.
They initially refined their idea through continuous dialogue with potential users, incorporating feedback to better address real-world challenges. This iterative process helped them design a platform tailored to the specific needs of cannabis businesses. While they faced initial skepticism and the complexities of adhering to different state regulations, their persistence and ability to listen to customer needs enabled them to create a product that significantly improved operational efficiency across the industry.
How much money it makes: $19.2M/year
How many people on the team: 294
2. Stukent, Inc. ($6M/year)
Stuart Draper, founder and CEO of Stukent, came up with the idea for his digital courseware company after realizing that the current instructional resources for digital marketing were not adequately preparing students for the industry. By combining regularly updated text, guest lectures from industry experts, and a hands-on simulation, Stukent provides students with the real-world experience they need to succeed. Despite facing funding challenges and nearly running out of money, Draper's vision for the future allowed Stukent to thrive and become one of the fastest-growing companies in the US.
How much money it makes: $6M/year
How many people on the team: 50
Stukent, a digital courseware company with a focus on providing students with hands-on digital marketing experience through a variety of texts, videos, and projects, was ranked the 268th fastest-growing company in the US in 2018, an impressive feat considering it was bootstrapped by founder and CEO Stuart Draper, and faced the challenge of raising funds for several rounds of funding to stay afloat.
3. Digital Position™ ($4.68M/year)
Roger Parent, the founder of a digital marketing agency, came up with the idea after realizing the shortcomings of the agency he was managing at his previous job. Frustrated by their lack of transparency and slow response times, he decided to offer a better service himself. Since then, his agency has experienced significant growth, with a projected revenue of $416k in 2022 and a goal of reaching $30mm by 2029.
How much money it makes: $4.68M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 30
Digital Position, a digital marketing agency, was founded by Roger Parent, who was unhappy being underpaid at his job; the company is now generating over $330k/month in revenue, and aims to generate $5m in 2022, with a long-term goal of hitting $30m before Parent is 40.
4. Dropship Unlocked ($3.48M/year)
Lewis Smith, the founder of Dropship Unlocked, came up with the idea for his business after reading "The 4-Hour Work Week" and discovering the dropshipping model. However, he faced challenges with the traditional dropshipping model and decided to make changes by shipping from UK suppliers offering next-day delivery and selling high-ticket products. Today, his e-commerce stores generate around £1M/year, and he focuses on helping others achieve the same level of freedom through his mentorship program.
How much money it makes: $3.48M/year
How much did it cost to start: $4K
How many people on the team: 6
Lewis Smith, founder of Dropship Unlocked, shares his journey of building multiple successful dropshipping stores that have generated over £4.68M in revenue, and how he overcame challenges with the traditional dropshipping model by selling high-ticket products from UK suppliers offering next-day delivery.
5. Velstar ($2.1M/year)
Dan Sheard, the founder of Velstar, came up with the idea for his business after working in sales and later as a web developer at various large agencies. He wanted to focus on helping direct-to-consumer brands that didn't have big budgets, so he decided to start his own agency that combined "big agency" experience with simple, intuitive platforms like Shopify. Since its launch, Velstar has experienced rapid growth and has become an official Shopify Plus partner.
How much money it makes: $2.1M/year
How many people on the team: 21
Velstar, a UK-based Shopify Plus partner agency, has seen impressive year-on-year revenue growth of at least 100% every year, due to their focus on building engaging and conversion-focused eCommerce websites, and highly effective growth marketing for direct-to-consumer brands on Shopify, with big ambitions for 2020 including launching a local Shopify Plus meetup, an eCommerce podcast, investing in content marketing and hiring their first business development personnel.
6. ByteStand ($780K/year)
Todd, a serial entrepreneur, came up with the idea for ByteStand after experiencing the limitations of selling on Amazon and wanting to diversify his business. He saw a gap in the market for a tool to automate the process of moving inventory from Amazon to Shopify and decided to create one himself, despite having no software development experience. With the help of a team of independent developers, he built the app and launched it on Shopify, quickly attracting paying customers and generating revenue.
How much money it makes: $780K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 1
ByteStand, a software development company run by ecommerce experts, created Shopify apps, including FreshCredit and FBA Shipping, which generate approximately $17,000 per month in revenue, with over 2,000 shops using their software.
7. Black Goat Media ($600K/year)
After a failed startup idea, Tudor and his friends decided to offer web development and marketing services to support their growth. Over time, they focused on e-commerce brands and now average around $15,000/month, with plans to reach $50,000/month in the next year.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How many people on the team: 12
Black Goat Media is a paid marketing agency that helps e-commerce brands grow through Facebook Ads, Google Ads, and email marketing, averaging around $15,000/month and aiming to reach $50,000/month in the near future.
8. Bonify ($504K/year)
Dan Pepin and John Carbone came up with the idea for Bonify while working as programmers at a digital agency and being frustrated with how things were being done. They left the company and started Bonify with a focus on building SAAS products. Their first app, Custom Fields, was launched in April 2016 and initially made little money, but they continued to improve it based on customer feedback and have since built a successful Shopify app business, with their apps bringing in $15,000 per month and a goal to double that revenue by the end of the year.
How much money it makes: $504K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Bonify co-founders successfully transition from a small web development agency to a lifestyle SAAS company by building Shopify apps, reaching $15,000 monthly revenue and planning to double it by year end through improved marketing and new features.
9. My Franchise Partners ($120K/year)
Andrew Hoffman came up with the idea for My Franchise Partners after exploring various business opportunities and being drawn to the franchise world. With his background in finance, operations, and business development, he saw the potential to help entrepreneurs make informed decisions and find the right franchise for them through in-depth research and analysis. His focus on delivering outstanding service has allowed him to grow his business through referrals and collaborative partnerships.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Andrew Hoffman founded My Franchise Partners, a $15-20K/month consulting agency helping individuals to educate themselves before investing in a franchise, using in-depth research, analysis, and due diligence to match franchise options at all investment levels and in every industry.
10. The Unofficial Shopify Podcast ($108K/year)
Kurt Elster came up with the idea for his podcast, The Unofficial Shopify Podcast, after realizing the potential of content marketing and wanting a consistent way to market his ecommerce consulting services. He decided to host his own podcast after receiving positive feedback from guest appearances on other podcasts, and with the help of his business partner's editing skills, he was able to launch the podcast and grow it to 750,000 downloads and four sponsors.
How much money it makes: $108K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Unofficial Shopify Podcast has generated 750,000 downloads and has four sponsors, resulting in significant monetary gain for ecommerce consultant and host, Kurt Elster, who has created a thriving business and community around his podcast.
11. DataCue ($36K/year)
Shahram and Ann came up with the idea for DataCue while on their honeymoon in Central America. They realized that small and medium businesses lacked access to data for making informed decisions, and wanted to democratize data for all. After meeting a stranger who told them about a government-funded initiative in Chile, they applied and moved there to turn DataCue into a reality.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How many people on the team: 5
DataCue helps eCommerce entrepreneurs sell more and improve conversion with their personalization platform, which has generated over $2m in additional revenue for eCommerce businesses in 2019, and is growing at 40% m/m after being founded just 18 months ago, with a goal for 2020 being profitability.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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