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Keir Whitaker

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Stand Out Without Burning Out

Hello, I'm Keir — AKA The Shopify Partner Ecosystem's Best Kept Secret *

I'm a business and marketing consultant, founder of the event series Craft+Work and proud veteran of the Shopify Partner Ecosystem.

After spending seven years at Shopify (2012‐2018) I left to start my own constultancy. Over the last six years I've helped Shopify-focussed agencies, consultants, and app companies grow their business without hiring a massive team, sacrificing their values or burning out. Sounds good, right?

Do You Feel Stuck?

Do you feel your Shopify-focused business could be better, or wonder why it isn't as prosperous as it was a year ago? You know things need to change, but you're unsure what to do. Do any of these feel familiar?

Lack of Growth

You're not seeing the sales or customer base expansion you anticipated. Despite your efforts, your business has hit a plateau, and you need new strategies to break through.

Lack of Direction

You have goals but no clear roadmap to achieve them. It feels like you're spinning your wheels, unsure of the next steps to move your business forward.

Lack of Support

You're handling everything on your own, or your team is spread too thin. Without a reliable support system, it's challenging to make informed decisions.

If you're fed up feeling stuck, stressed and unsure of what to do next, then working one‐on‐one with a business and marketing consultant might be for you.

It Doesn't Have to be This Way

Drawing on my 20+ years of experience working in web, tech and ecommerce, I help clients figure out what they want their business to grow into and what it will take to get there. I'll help you achieve:

Clarity & Focus

You'll gain a clear vision and a strategic roadmap, enabling you to prioritise effectively and achieve your business goals with confidence.

Increased Effectiveness

With streamlined processes and targeted strategies, you'll see improved efficiency and productivity, leading to better results and growth.

New Perspectives

By exploring innovative ideas and approaches, you'll unlock fresh opportunities and solutions that drive your business forward.

Through our regular working sessions, we'll identify what's not working, develop a plan for improvement, and tackle new challenges together. Each month, we'll review progress, address any issues, and I'll keep you accountable and supported throughout the process.

Who I Help

Are you a good fit for my services? Here's who benefits most from my expertise:

  • Shopify Soloists — You provide personalised Shopify support and services, often working as a solo consultant, freelancer, or sub-contractor.
  • Shopify Agencies — You offer comprehensive Shopify solutions to merchants, including design, development, and marketing, through a team of experts.
  • Shopify App Companies — You develop, manage and support apps that are distributed through the Shopify App Store.
  • Shopify Tech Partners — Your product integrates into Shopify (and potentially other platforms) and Shopify Partners represent a large growth opportunity.

If this sounds like you let's have a conversation and find out how we can work together.

My Expertise & Approach

With over 20 years in tech, I've worn many hats — from self-taught developer during the browser wars to running workshops and conferences, shifting into product marketing, and being among the first 100 hires at a now-major Canadian e-commerce startup (you know the one) in 2012.

I've hired and nurtured teams, written and edited articles and books, and for the last 5+ years, I've built my own consulting practice. I'm not sharing this to boast (I'm English, after all) but to give you a sense of the breadth of experience I bring to every project. Here's a taste of my expertise:

The Ecosystem

I've been immersed in the Shopify ecosystem since its early days, working with some of the best agency founders, pioneering app developers, and industry-leading marketers. My experience gives me a deep understanding of what drives success within this community.

Marketing

I'll help you find fresh ways to talk about your agency or app. Together, we'll craft a clear direction for engaging future customers, keeping your current clients happy, and positioning yourself as an expert in your field.

Content

I'm a firm believer in the power of educational content to drive growth for agencies and app companies. I've helped many create actionable content plans that share insights, upskill customers, and establish authority. I'm also skilled at refining content to ensure it hits the mark.

Partnerships

Having spent seven years on the Shopify Partners team, I know how powerful strong ties within the ecosystem can be. Whether you're an app company seeking agency partnerships or an agency looking to collaborate with tech companies, a strategic focus on partnerships can transform your business.

Pricing

Pricing can be one of the toughest challenges to get right. Whether you're exploring value-based pricing or creating plans for Shopify Plus brands, I'll help you navigate the options and support you through the changes.

Product

I've advised on various aspects of product development, from UI and onboarding to feature feedback and customer education. Having an external opinion during those "which way should we go" moments can bring the clarity and direction your product needs.

Events

With a secondary career in events spanning 17 years, I've curated and run over 100 retreats, meetups, workshops, and conferences. Bringing people together is powerful, especially in today's online world. I'll help you maximise your event strategy, whether hosting or sponsoring.

Leadership

The work is easy, but people are hard—that's something I often tell founders of growing businesses. Building a great team requires time, energy, and a willingness to delegate. With 20+ years of experience, I can help you navigate the complexities of team growth and leadership.

Operations

Running a business always involves finding areas for improvement. Together, we'll review your day-to-day operations to identify opportunities for refinement, whether it's streamlining proposal structures or enhancing team reviews. Small changes can lead to significant impacts.

We'll work together to identify what needs changing, testing, and improving. You won't be waiting weeks for a hefty strategy document that ends up gathering digital dust. Instead, I believe that big improvements often come from small, incremental changes.

We'll set priorities and track progress, but I'm always open to tackling any pressing issues you bring to the table. Between our working sessions, you'll have direct access to me via email or Slack, and every quarter, we'll undertake an in-depth review and plan ahead.

Work With Me

Many of my clients opt for my comprehensive consultancy package, which starts at £1,995 per month (+ VAT if applicable). This package includes regular in-depth working sessions, implementation support, team development, and ongoing support to drive your business forward.

If you're looking for a more streamlined approach, I also offer engagements starting at £995 per month, providing strategic guidance, expert advice, and accountability tailored to your specific needs.

Let's Talk About Your Business

Book a no-obligation consultation session to explore your current situation, discuss your goals, and see how I can help. Rest assured, this is not a sales call.

All services are offered on a month-to-month basis with no long-term commitment. This allows you to adjust or scale your engagement as your needs evolve, ensuring you always receive the support you need to make progress.

Who Am I?

I'm a UK-based business and marketing consultant and founder of event series Craft+Work. I specialise in working with Shopify Partners who want to improve and grow their business but are unsure how to go about it.

Hosting Shopify Pursuit London back in 2018

Hosting Shopify Pursuit London in 2018

I've spent the last 20 years working in the web, tech, and ecommerce industries. I started out as a web developer, morphed into product marketing and was the second hire on Shopify's nascent Partnerships team. For the last five years I've been building my own consulting practice.

I've had a few wins and experienced many failures which taught me invaluable lessons. Today, I channel this knowledge and expertise into supporting Shopify-focused soloists, agencies and app companies who are ready to invest in personal growth and business development. Perhaps I can help you — let's find out.

You can learn more about me and my background on my about page.

Happy Clients

Here's what previous clients have said about their experiences working with me.

1-on-1 business coaching with Keir has been a godsend, and has really accelerated our ecommerce marketing agency to the next level. Keir is thoughtful and dedicated, and the strategic guidance, insights, and direction he provides is incredibly valuable. I believe every Shopify Partner can benefit greatly from working with Keir.

Michael SalvoFounder Whitecap SEO

I had one session with another coach thinking maybe there'd be some magical framework that would spark change for me, but there wasn't. And I realised, you know, Keir's approach where it is more conversational, I actually really like it and it works really well.

Galen KingFounder Lucid Commerce

Working with Keir to help grow our agency has been nothing short of incredible. He has provided unparalleled 1-to-1 coaching and helped us address key areas of the business, including our offer and pricing structure. If you are an ecommerce agency working with Shopify, I can't recommend Keir enough.

Patrick McCarthyFounder Digifly

One of the areas I'm not good at is proposal writing. So I would send him proposals and we came up with a system for that. But mostly, it's being able to bounce ideas around or talk through problems I'm having with someone who knows how others have solved it … It's being able to work quicker through the things that might have taken me longer, or I may never have got to.

Brendan QuigleyFounder Three Acres

Working with Keir was an absolute pleasure. We worked together for more than 6 months, during which time he helped me process pricing strategy and positioning. Without changing a single feature, we were able to reposition our plans and increase revenue from new users by more than 150%. Needless to say, that's had a massive impact on our go-to-market strategy and scalability.

Jeremiah PrummerFounder & CEO KnoCommerce

Working with Keir to better define what I do, who I do it for and why has been transformative for my business. Keir offered guidance, support and advice, which helped me focus on the right areas. Keir's approach is structured and always backed up with examples and helpful suggestions. He kept me accountable in an encouraging way and brought a lot of clarity to how I think about my business and more importantly how I talk about it to others.

Robert MillsFounder Fourth Wall Content

Since starting my coaching and consultancy business I've been privileged to work with Alvio, Archer Cooper, Beyond Tellerrand, Birmingham Museums Trust Museum and Art Gallery, Colonna Coffee, Disco Labs, Forsberg+two, Fourth Wall Content, Gadget, Gorgias, Kno Commerce, Llanerch Vineyard, Mantle, Milk Bottle Labs, Recharge, Space Squirrel, The Taproom, Sufio, Swanky, The Support Heroes, Three Acres, Tidio, Toward, Treen, Union Works, We Make Websites, Whitecap Digital, Zapiet and more.

Book Your Free Consultation

If you're ready to take the next step towards building a better Shopify-focused business, let's talk. Start by completing my free consultation survey. After receiving it, I'll contact you within 24 hours to book your no-obligation 60-minute consultation.

Book Your Consultation →

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* An agency owner friend once called me the best-kept secret in the Shopify Partner ecosystem. Maybe they're right — I do tend to go about my business quietly and am not one to shout about my work and achievements (a typical English trait). But I'm working on changing that.

Registered in England & Wales as Metro 55 Limited t/a Keir Whitaker #05243642 VAT #177672955.

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