Growing Our Shopify Agency To $180K/Year In Revenue [Update]
This is a follow up story for Friction Studio. If you're interested in reading how they got started, published over 2 years ago, check it out here.
Hello again! Remind us who you are and what business you started.
I'm Vishal Goswami, the founder of Friction Studio, a Shopify Agency dedicated to making commerce better for everyone. As an eCommerce consultant with years of experience, we specialize in designing, building, and growing Shopify stores for DTC brands.
Our team of Shopify experts is passionate about removing the friction between eCommerce design, development, and strategy to help our clients achieve exponential growth.
We work with DTC brands to create conversion-focused Shopify stores with functional user experiences, enabling them to establish a brand presence and attract customers.
“> Your brand should be memorable, and distinctive, and convey the values that are important to your customers.”
Starting Friction Studio with just $100 has been a roller coaster ride, but we're proud to have grown into an agency catering to big names in the industry and onboard Shopify Plus merchants.
It's an honor to create a significant impact in the eCommerce ecosystem and help merchants ease their selling journey. Started in 2020 and till now We have worked with 100+ DTC brands worldwide.
Here’s the link to our original Starter Story interview.
Tell us about what you’ve been up to. Has the business been growing?
Friction Studio has been experiencing significant growth since we last spoke. We are excited to report that we have continued to grow at a fast pace, having worked with over 100+ DTC brands to date.
To achieve this growth, we have been using a combination of organic channels, PR, and outbound efforts to reach our target market. Our team has been working hard to provide top-notch service and support to our clients, resulting in repeat business and strong word-of-mouth referrals. Most effective channel was LinkedIn and cold email outreach. We have a 90% open rate and a 15% reply rate on our all campaigns.
We will double down on our email outreach as we had great success in it. Also paid marketing is another option we will put more emphasis on. Case studies on creative channels like dribble and behance didnt help us much so we will focus on our main social media more than these channels.
” I've personally made it a priority to read more, attend conferences and webinars, and network with other industry professionals.”
As a result of our efforts, our sales have increased by an impressive 250% since the last time we spoke. We're thrilled to see the impact our work is having on the eCommerce ecosystem, helping DTC brands grow their business through our Shopify design and development services.
Overall, Friction Studio is on an upward trajectory, and we're looking forward to continuing to grow and make a difference in the eCommerce industry. We have expanded our team to 12 people now and more to come.
What have been your biggest challenges in the last year?
One of our biggest challenges has been team building. It's been challenging to find the right people who can deliver the best and be a good fit for our team culture.
We post on our LinkedIn and website, then we take applications and conduct interviews (2-3) for developers we give tasks for testing and timeline. Experience with 4-5 years in design, CX, UX, and brand building, CRO experts and developers are our main focus.
We're proud to say that we've assembled an incredible team of Shopify experts who are passionate about helping DTC brands succeed, but it wasn't an easy feat. We had to invest a lot of time and resources into finding the right people who aligned with our values and had the skills to deliver exceptional service.
Another challenge we've faced is retaining clients. In a competitive industry like eCommerce, it's crucial to provide top-notch service and support to retain clients. We're proud of the fact that we've been able to maintain long-term relationships with many of our clients, but we know there's always room for improvement.
Systems and scale have also been a challenge for us. As we continue to grow, we need to ensure that our systems and processes can handle the increased workload efficiently. We're constantly refining our workflows and investing in tools and technologies to improve our operations and better serve our clients.
These challenges have been valuable learning experiences for us. We're committed to overcoming them and continuing to grow our business while providing the best service possible to our clients.
What have been your biggest lessons learned in the last year?
One of the most significant lessons we learned was the importance of hiring the right people. While we've been fortunate to build a talented team, we made a mistake with one hiring decision that ended up costing us a big project. The developer we hired deleted the code, which resulted in a delay and loss of revenue for our client. We learned that hiring the wrong person can have serious consequences, and it's essential to invest the time and resources to find the right fit for the team.
Another lesson we learned is the importance of continuous learning and development. We're committed to staying on top of the latest trends and technologies in the eCommerce industry to provide the best service possible to our clients. As a result, I've personally made it a priority to read more, attend conferences and webinars, and network with other industry professionals.
One positive outcome of our focus on learning and development was our decision to hire our great account manager, Devang Tiwari. Devang has been a fantastic addition to our team, and his expertise and experience have helped us better serve our clients and continue to grow our business.
What’s in the plans for the upcoming year, and the next 5 years?
In the short term, we're excited to continue expanding our services and offerings. We'll be working on developing new Shopify themes, custom sections, and other features to help our clients increase their sales and improve the user experience on their websites.
In terms of targeting, we're looking to work with more enterprise-level brands and focus on Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). Our goal is to help larger brands maximize their online revenue and provide a seamless shopping experience for their customers. To achieve this, we'll be using advanced analytics, data-driven insights, and our expertise in eCommerce to optimize every aspect of their online presence.
Looking further ahead, our vision for the next five years is to continue growing our business and becoming a leading eCommerce agency. We'll be expanding our team, developing new partnerships, and investing in cutting-edge technology and tools to stay ahead of the curve. Mostly we will be focusing on building tech and agency partnerships so we can maintain a space in the industry. We will add more tools in our design process for interactives, and creative operations, and development we will invest more in QA and testing tools.
Our goal is to become the go-to agency for businesses looking to grow and succeed in the ever-changing world of eCommerce. We'll also be focusing on sustainability and social responsibility, incorporating these values into our business practices and partnering with brands that share our commitment to making a positive impact on the world. We are focusing on CBD, health and wellness, and cruelty-free brands.
What’s the best thing you read in the last year?
From the perspective of an eCommerce consultant and Shopify agency founder, some of the most insightful and thought-provoking books in recent years include "Contagious" by Jonah Berger, "Building a StoryBrand" by Donald Miller, "Influence" by Robert Cialdini, and "Agencynomics".
Advice for other entrepreneurs who might be struggling to grow their businesses?
I have learned a lot about growing a business. Here are some pieces of advice that I would offer to other entrepreneurs who might be struggling to grow their businesses:
- Focus on your customers: Your customers are the lifeblood of your business, and their satisfaction should be your top priority. Listen to their feedback and implement changes that will improve their experience with your product or service.
- Build a strong brand: A strong brand is essential to the success of any business. Your brand should be memorable, and distinctive, and convey the values that are important to your customers.
- Be open to change: The business landscape is constantly evolving, and it's important to be flexible and adaptable to change. Stay up-to-date on industry trends and be willing to pivot your business strategy when necessary.
- Network and collaborate: Networking and collaborating with other entrepreneurs can help you learn new skills, gain new insights, and access new opportunities. Attend industry events, join online communities, and seek out mentorship opportunities.
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
We are excited to announce that our company is currently seeking top talent to join our team in the positions of Shopify full stack developer, CX designer, UX designer, and Shopify junior developer. We are looking for driven and creative individuals who are passionate about their work and eager to contribute to our growing company. If you have the skills and experience necessary to excel in one of these roles, we would love to hear from you.
This is an opportunity to work on innovative projects and make a meaningful impact on our company and clients. Join us in building exceptional e-commerce experiences for our clients!
Just write an email to hello@friction.studio
Where can we go to learn more?
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!
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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.
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