Episode

#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
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2:18:19
Published: Thu Dec 10 2020
Description

Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More | Brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 700M+ users, LMNT electrolyte supplement, and ExpressVPN virtual private network service. More on all three below.Harley Finkelstein (@harleyf) is an entrepreneur, lawyer, and the President of Shopify. He founded his first company at age 17 while a student at McGill. Harley is an advisor to Felicis Ventures, and he is one of the “dragons” on CBC’s Next Gen Den. In 2017, he received the Canadian Angel Investor of the Year award and Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 award, and in 2016 he was inducted into the Order of Ottawa. From 2014 to 2017 Harley was on the board of the C100, and from 2017 to 2020 he was on to the board of directors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).Please enjoy!This episode is brought to you by LMNT! What is LMNT? It’s a delicious, sugar-free electrolyte drink-mix. I’ve stocked up on boxes and boxes of this and usually use it 1–2 times per day. LMNT is formulated to help anyone with their electrolyte needs and perfectly suited to folks following a keto, low-carb, or Paleo diet. If you are on a low-carb diet or fasting, electrolytes play a key role in relieving hunger, cramps, headaches, tiredness, and dizziness.LMNT came up with a very special offer for you, my dear listeners. They’ve created Tim’s Club: Simply go to DrinkLMNT.com/Tim, select “Subscribe and Save,” and use promo code TIMSCLUB to get the 30-count box of LMNT for only $36. This will be valid for the lifetime of the subscription, and you can pause it anytime.*This episode is also brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Whether you are looking to hire now for a critical role or thinking about needs that you may have in the future, LinkedIn Jobs can help. LinkedIn screens candidates for the hard and soft skills you’re looking for and puts your job in front of candidates looking for job opportunities that match what you have to offer.Using LinkedIn’s active community of more than 722 million professionals worldwide, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find and hire the right person faster. When your business is ready to make that next hire, find the right person with LinkedIn Jobs. You can pay what you want and get $50 off your first job. Just visit LinkedIn.com/Tim.*This episode is also brought to you by ExpressVPN. I’ve been using ExpressVPN to make sure that my data is secure and encrypted, without slowing my Internet speed. If you ever use public Wi-Fi at, say, a hotel or a coffee shop, where I often work and as many of my listeners do, you’re often sending data over an open network, meaning no encryption at all.A great way to ensure that all of your data is encrypted and can’t be easily read by hackers is by using ExpressVPN. All you need to do is download the ExpressVPN app on your computer or smartphone and then use the Internet just as you normally would. You click one button in the ExpressVPN app to secure 100% of your network data. Use my link ExpressVPN.com/Tim today and get an extra three months free on a one-year package!*If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferriss*DISCLAIMER: I own stock in Shopify. I was not compensated in any way to have Shopify represented on the program or to talk about my reasons for investing in Shopify. I may financially benefit if Shopify’s stock goes up in value. I am not an investment adviser. All opinions are mine alone. There are risks involved in placing an investment in any company. None of the information presented today is intended to form the basis for any offer or recommendation, or have any regard to the investment objectives, financial situation or needs of any specific person.Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chapters
Adding Element to your coffee, especially citrus salt flavor, is a delicious and easy way to replenish your electrolytes while enjoying your morning cup of joe.
00:00 - 03:08 (03:08)
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Element
Summary

Adding Element to your coffee, especially citrus salt flavor, is a delicious and easy way to replenish your electrolytes while enjoying your morning cup of joe. It’s used by athletes, Navy SEAL teams, and even NFL teams.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Tim Ferriss deconstructs world class performers and shares their habits, routines and favorite books with listeners so they can use them in their own lives.
03:08 - 10:31 (07:23)
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Self-Help
Summary

Tim Ferriss deconstructs world class performers and shares their habits, routines and favorite books with listeners so they can use them in their own lives.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The CEO of Shopify shares his perspective on the benefits of reading and how it can contribute to personal and entrepreneurial growth.
10:32 - 16:52 (06:20)
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Personal and Entrepreneurial Growth
Summary

The CEO of Shopify shares his perspective on the benefits of reading and how it can contribute to personal and entrepreneurial growth. He also talks about the emergence of two types of individuals and entrepreneurs during the pandemic.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In this podcast episode, the speaker discusses the natural graduation of companies and the process of "adult supervision", while reflecting on the Canadian-based tech company, Shopify, which continues to grow with a community far outside of Silicon Valley.
16:52 - 24:22 (07:30)
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Shopify
Summary

In this podcast episode, the speaker discusses the natural graduation of companies and the process of "adult supervision", while reflecting on the Canadian-based tech company, Shopify, which continues to grow with a community far outside of Silicon Valley.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
A student at McGill University discovered that the school spends $25,000 on t-shirts every semester, providing a potential business opportunity for someone looking to create t-shirts for universities.
24:22 - 28:16 (03:53)
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McGill University
Summary

A student at McGill University discovered that the school spends $25,000 on t-shirts every semester, providing a potential business opportunity for someone looking to create t-shirts for universities.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker shares their experience with the Socratic method in law school and how it helped them improve their writing skills.
28:16 - 35:45 (07:29)
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Education
Summary

The speaker shares their experience with the Socratic method in law school and how it helped them improve their writing skills. They also discuss their educational background, attending both a private school in Montreal and a large public high school in the US.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The host discusses designing a curriculum for people looking to learn valuable skill sets developed through law school, highlighting the benefits of podcasts and interviews in getting to the crux of a topic.
35:45 - 46:40 (10:54)
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Law School
Summary

The host discusses designing a curriculum for people looking to learn valuable skill sets developed through law school, highlighting the benefits of podcasts and interviews in getting to the crux of a topic.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In the early days of a company, it's crucial to figure out ways to add value and things to prioritize.
46:40 - 55:01 (08:20)
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Shopify
Summary

In the early days of a company, it's crucial to figure out ways to add value and things to prioritize. Shopify was pitched to a law student looking to move his T-shirt business to a virtual storefront, leading to the founding of the company.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker explains how he fell in love with Shopify as a merchant during law school and how it democratises ecommerce by allowing him to compete with the largest corporations and build a beautiful business.
55:01 - 1:04:45 (09:44)
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Shopify
Summary

The speaker explains how he fell in love with Shopify as a merchant during law school and how it democratises ecommerce by allowing him to compete with the largest corporations and build a beautiful business.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Bessemer Venture Partners' white paper, "The 10 Laws of SaaS Businesses," provides nomenclature for SaaS startups that is still used today.
1:04:45 - 1:07:56 (03:10)
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SaaS
Summary

Bessemer Venture Partners' white paper, "The 10 Laws of SaaS Businesses," provides nomenclature for SaaS startups that is still used today. It also has become a sort of checklist venture capitalists use to evaluate startups' potential for revenue growth and success in the SaaS industry.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Two co-founders of Shopify reminisce about their early days and the launch of the platform, including how they secured their first merchant and created a competition to encourage entrepreneurship.
1:07:56 - 1:13:53 (05:57)
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Shopify
Summary

Two co-founders of Shopify reminisce about their early days and the launch of the platform, including how they secured their first merchant and created a competition to encourage entrepreneurship.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Shopify's Build a Business competition rewards entrepreneurs with ambition and great ideas.
1:13:53 - 1:22:49 (08:56)
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Shopify
Summary

Shopify's Build a Business competition rewards entrepreneurs with ambition and great ideas. Winners are given a prize of $100,000 and the chance to receive mentorship from successful entrepreneurs.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
In the past three months, the retail industry has rapidly shifted to e-commerce due to the ongoing pandemic.
1:22:49 - 1:30:11 (07:21)
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Retail Industry
Summary

In the past three months, the retail industry has rapidly shifted to e-commerce due to the ongoing pandemic. Consumers who never bought online before have been forced to adapt and there's no going back to the way it was.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Consumers are becoming more conscious of their spending habits and are prioritizing supporting small businesses during the pandemic.
1:30:11 - 1:36:01 (05:49)
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Small Businesses
Summary

Consumers are becoming more conscious of their spending habits and are prioritizing supporting small businesses during the pandemic. Companies face the challenge of not being able to directly inform customers about alternative shopping options to prevent supply chain disruptions.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
By bringing coaches into the company full time, it allows for a better understanding of the coaching curriculum and journey.
1:36:01 - 1:44:30 (08:29)
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Coaching
Summary

By bringing coaches into the company full time, it allows for a better understanding of the coaching curriculum and journey. With the ability to have a group of coaches on staff, interviews and a better understanding of the Shopify culture is obtainable.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The host talks about how he's benefitted from applying "sensei" thinking over "massage commander" thinking when interacting with his team, as well as how guided meditation has helped him block out time for mindfulness practice.
1:44:30 - 1:51:34 (07:03)
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Mindfulness
Summary

The host talks about how he's benefitted from applying "sensei" thinking over "massage commander" thinking when interacting with his team, as well as how guided meditation has helped him block out time for mindfulness practice.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker emphasizes the significance of scheduling and prioritizing recovery, family time and self-care practices in order to balance work and personal life.
1:51:34 - 1:58:42 (07:07)
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Work-Life Balance
Summary

The speaker emphasizes the significance of scheduling and prioritizing recovery, family time and self-care practices in order to balance work and personal life. He also shares the benefits of learning from people who are great in their respective fields to gain diverse perspectives and valuable insights.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Podcast hosts discuss the impact of reading biographies and the valuable lessons it teaches about finding, keeping, and losing ambition.
1:58:42 - 2:03:30 (04:48)
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Biographies
Summary

Podcast hosts discuss the impact of reading biographies and the valuable lessons it teaches about finding, keeping, and losing ambition.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Thinking about relationships in terms of their long-term value can change how we engage with people and shape our professional trajectories.
2:03:30 - 2:09:39 (06:09)
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Relationships
Summary

Thinking about relationships in terms of their long-term value can change how we engage with people and shape our professional trajectories. This podcast episode discusses the importance of finding valuable people who may not have an immediately apparent role, but can impact our lives in unexpected ways.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
The speaker promotes Express VPN as a useful tool for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and travelers to protect themselves from being snooped on or having their personal data stolen while using public Wi-Fi.
2:09:39 - 2:15:07 (05:27)
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Online Privacy
Summary

The speaker promotes Express VPN as a useful tool for entrepreneurs, remote workers, and travelers to protect themselves from being snooped on or having their personal data stolen while using public Wi-Fi.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show
Element is the official executive hydration partner for Team USA weightlifting, as well as several Navy SEAL teams, FBI sniper teams, NFL teams and NBA players and coaches.
2:15:08 - 2:18:13 (03:04)
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Element Hydration
Summary

Element is the official executive hydration partner for Team USA weightlifting, as well as several Navy SEAL teams, FBI sniper teams, NFL teams and NBA players and coaches. With a versatile new flavor, Chocolate Salt, Element is perfect for anyone with their electrolyte needs, especially for those following a keto, low-carb or paleo diet.

Episode
#486: Harley Finkelstein — Tactics and Strategies from Shopify, The Future of Retail, and More
Podcast
The Tim Ferriss Show