This week I'm sitting down with Elle, an e-commerce educator who works with product-based businesses to help them master their websites and email marketing. Now, I work almost exclusively with service providers, so you'd think we'd have very little in common — but honestly, the parallels were insane. We dive into how Elle built her membership, scaled her email list to 1200 people, and why the platforms that make selling online "easier" are actually creating worse websites than ever before. If you've ever wondered whether tech really is as hard as you think it is, or how to build a membership that doesn't drain you, this episode is exactly where you need to be.

Topics covered:

In this episode, we explore:

1. Why making platforms easier to use has led to lazier, lower-quality websites
2. The surprising overlap between selling products online and selling services
3. How Elle grew her email list organically and hit a 20% masterclass conversion rate
4. The three non-negotiable tech tools every product business needs (and why service providers should pay attention)
5. Building a membership that serves different learning styles — from Slack support to monthly workshops
6. Why "just because it's easy to DIY doesn't mean you should DIY alone"

Resources mentioned:

1. Shopify — e-commerce platform for product-based businesses
2. Klaviyo — email marketing platform (integrates with Shopify)
3. Judge.me — review app for Shopify stores
4. Slack — Elle's membership community hub
5. Google Meet — records, transcribes, and creates notes automatically
6. Elle's first masterclass strategy (July 2024) — 250 signups, 60 live attendees, 20 conversions

Let's Connect:

1. Come say hi on Instagram @mills_gray — DMs are always open
2. Elle's Instagram: @theecommerceassistant
3. Elle's website: https://www.theecommerceassistant.com

Mentioned in this episode:

Book Launch

Celebrate the launch of THE REBELLIOUS LEADER! A business book for women done playing by the rules.

Book Launch AD