From Brick & Mortar to Shopify Success - The Shopify Growth Show (#10)

Most brands start online. Robert Nelson did the opposite and it changed everything. He used real-world feedback, military discipline, and pop-up precision to launch a thriving DTC brand.

In this episode, Robert Nelson of Just Mystic shares the unconventional path his brand took to gain traction - starting offline with brick-and-mortar and pop-up activations before ever building a Shopify store. With a Marine mindset and data-driven instincts, Robert explains why starting on the ground gave him an edge online.

Whether you’re validating a product or scaling DTC, this episode shows why doing it the “wrong” way might be exactly right.

Key Topics Covered:

• Why starting with a physical location validated the product faster
• How in-person pop-ups revealed customer behavior and pain points
• The move from offline to Shopify — and what changed
• Military leadership lessons applied to brand-building
• Using basic retail economics to unlock higher margins

Follow The Shopify Growth Show for more real founder playbooks - from brick-and-mortar rebels to AI-native operators.

Resources:

• Just Mystic
• Jim Huffman website
• GrowthHit

Additional episodes you might enjoy:

• Startup Ideas by Paul Graham (#45)
• Nathan Barry: How to Bootstrap a Company to $30M in a Crowded Market (#41)
• How I Met My Biz Partner and Less Learned Hitting $2M ARR (#44)
• Ryan Hamilton on his Netflix special, touring with Jerry Seinfeld, & how to write a joke (#10)
• How We're Validating Startup Ideas (#51)