eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection

In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Phillip Akhzar, the Founder and CEO of Arka.Phil Akhzar learned about the importance of eco-friendly packaging through his work in supply chain logistics and industrial engineering. He discovered how important it was to have sustainable packaging that was accessible and affordable, to make sure the impression a customer received was consistent with the brand ethos. He was determined to make sustainable packaging accessible to all businesses and ensure his customers had a guilt-free checkout experience. Through hard work and dedication, Phil achieved his goal and provided a high-quality product to his customers.According to a recent study, 85% of consumers globally have indicated that they have shifted their purchase behavior towards being more sustainable in the past five years. This is the time to invest in eco-friendly packaging for your business to meet the growing customer demand and combat climate change.You can use the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, please get in touch with us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!TwitterLinkedInFacebookWe love your feedback!Are you hungry for continued knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Show Notes

In today’s Shopify Ecommerce Podcast, my guest is Phillip Akhzar, the Founder and CEO of Arka.


Phil Akhzar learned about the importance of eco-friendly packaging through his work in supply chain logistics and industrial engineering. He discovered how important it was to have sustainable packaging that was accessible and affordable, to make sure the impression a customer received was consistent with the brand ethos. He was determined to make sustainable packaging accessible to all businesses and ensure his customers had a guilt-free checkout experience. Through hard work and dedication, Phil achieved his goal and provided a high-quality product to his customers.


According to a recent study, 85% of consumers globally have indicated that they have shifted their purchase behavior towards being more sustainable in the past five years. This is the time to invest in eco-friendly packaging for your business to meet the growing customer demand and combat climate change.


You can use the information and resources presented in today's ecommerce podcast. You'll learn how to GROW REVENUE and MAXIMIZE PROFIT for your Shopify store.


We would love to hear from you! Whether it's a comment or a question about our latest episode, please get in touch with us here or through our social media channels. Your feedback is always welcome!



We love your feedback!


Are you hungry for continued knowledge on the topics of ecommerce and marketing? Then, we recommend visiting the eCommerce Fastlane Insights Blog for valuable and timely information.


TOPICS INCLUDE: Advertising, Affiliate Marketing, Amazon, Attribution, Automation, B2B, Brand, Customer Retention, Customer Support, Data + Analytics, Data Trust + Security, Dropshipping, Ecommerce SEO, Email Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Founder Stories, Influencer Marketing, Legal, Logistics, Shipping, Loyalty, Rewards, Retention Marketing, Marketing, Sales, Conversion, Money From Home, Operations, Payments, Finance, Tax, People, Personalization, Post Purchase Experience, Print On Demand, Product Development, Retail, Shopify POS, Reviews, Search, SMS Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Media, Live Shopping, Startup Ideas, Store Design, Mobile Apps, Sustainability, TikTok, Trends, Ultimate Guides, Web3, best Shopify apps, and more.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is eCommerce Fastlane: Shopify Growth Strategies—Where AI Efficiency Meets Human Connection?

Running a Shopify store? You already know success isn't about finding the right app—it's about knowing which strategies actually work at your specific stage of growth.

I'm Steve Hutt, and I've lived every level of the ecommerce journey. From eBay Power Seller shipping products from my garage, to co-founding and scaling VisionPros.com (an optical DTC startup) through to a successful exit, then spending 6+ years as a Shopify Merchant Success Manager helping 100+ brands from startup to enterprise scale, including working with teams at Tentree, Dr. Squatch, Bulletproof Coffee, Salt & Straw Ice Cream, MUD/WTR, Bokksu, and many more.

Here's what makes this podcast different: I've been on both sides of the table.

6+ years working inside Shopify gave me access to what's coming before most merchants know it exists. Building, scaling, and successfully exiting my own ecommerce businesses taught me what actually works when your money and reputation are on the line. That combination of insider access plus real operator experience gives you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

Since 2018, eCommerce Fastlane has delivered over 430 episodes and more than 2 million downloads to ambitious Shopify founders and marketers. Every week, I chat with operators, developers, and experts who share what's actually moving the needle right now—not theory, but patterns I've seen work consistently across dozens of brands at multiple stages.

Whether you're launching your first store or scaling past seven figures, every episode gives you stage-aware strategies you can implement this week. We cover Shopify apps and best practices, digital marketing and retention tactics, AI and automation tools, as well as operations and logistics that reduce overwhelm while building lasting customer loyalty.

You'll learn how to leverage emerging tech without losing what makes your brand unique. You'll also hear real founder stories, including lessons from my own journey building and exiting a DTC brand, plus insights from 430+ industry leaders who've been exactly where you are.

This isn't content for content's sake. It's the insight you'd get sitting at a mastermind table with someone who's succeeded at every level, helped hundreds of others do the same, and has the pattern recognition to show you what actually works at your current stage.

Ready to grow smarter, not just faster? Join thousands of founders and marketers in the eCommerce Fastlane community through our podcast, newsletter, blog, and forthcoming book "Thriving with Shopify."

Steve Hutt
DTC Founder | Podcast Host

Find Us Online
Website: eCommerceFastlane.com
Newsletter: FastlaneInsider.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shutt
X: x.com/stevenhutt
Instagram: instagram.com/ecommercefastlane
Email: steve@ecommercefastlane.com