Omnichannel Growth & Retention: Future-Proofing Your Shopify Brand

Episode Introduction

Are you feeling like your Shopify brand could be doing more—maybe you’re struggling to connect the dots between your channels, or you know you’re not getting the most out of your existing customers?

You’re not alone. So many brands sense there’s untapped growth, but with commerce evolving so quickly, it’s tough to know what to prioritize or how to fill those expertise gaps.

That’s why I’m excited to welcome Dennis Yao Yu, co-founder of The Other Group and my former lead at Shopify, to the show. Dennis has spent over 20 years in retail, wholesale, SaaS, and digital marketplaces—he’s helped mid-market and enterprise brands drive billions in revenue, and now he’s on a mission to help omnichannel brands execute smarter and grow faster.

What You’ll Learn

• Omnichannel Strategy: How to move from buzzwords to practical execution across retail, DTC, wholesale, and marketplaces.
• Retention as a Growth Engine: Why nurturing “raving fans” is the smartest way to boost profitability and customer lifetime value.
• Social vs. Video Commerce: What’s working now on TikTok Shop and with shoppable video, and how to resource it.
• Real-world AI Adoption: Where Gen AI is actually shifting the game for brands—think content, support, and the future of SEO.
• Bridging the Execution Gap: How to spot and fix missing pieces in your tech stack, strategy, or team.
• Building Authentic Community: Simple ways to use content and loyalty to create long-term customer value.

Sponsor Spotlight: GLADLY

Episode Summary

Dennis Yao Yu joins me for a candid conversation about what it really takes to build a resilient, high-growth Shopify brand in today’s crowded market. Drawing from his decades of experience across retail, SaaS, marketplaces, and his time leading teams at Shopify, Dennis shares his honest take on why so many brands feel stuck—and what separates those that break through from those that plateau.

We talk about the realities of omnichannel execution, why retention is finally getting the attention it deserves, and how brands can make smart, practical use of AI without losing their unique voice. If you’re looking for real-world advice, strategic clarity, and a few “aha!” moments from someone who’s seen every side of commerce, you’ll find this episode both refreshing and actionable.

Key Insights

• Omnichannel Needs a Real Strategy: Succeeding across DTC, wholesale, retail, and marketplaces isn’t just about being everywhere. It takes thoughtful resource allocation and understanding how each channel fits your brand’s goals, margins, and customer behavior.

• Retention Drives Profit: With acquisition costs climbing, focusing on lifetime value, repeat purchases, and building a loyal community of “raving fans” is the smartest way to boost margins and drive sustainable growth.

• Video Commerce vs. Social Commerce: There’s a real difference. Social commerce (like TikTok Shop) is thriving for lower-priced, impulse-friendly products, while video commerce (live shopping, shoppable video) works best for items that benefit from demos—think beauty or electronics—but does require content resources.

• AI: Start Practical, Stay Curious: Right now, Gen AI is a game-changer for internal efficiency (HR, legal, accounting) and marketing (copy, images, ads). Keep an eye on how it’s shifting customer search habits and plan for future SEO and content opportunities.

• Execution Gaps Hold Brands Back: Many brands know what’s missing but don’t have the time or expertise to fix it. Fractional leaders (like a part-time CMO or Head of Ecommerce) can help bridge those gaps and keep your growth on track.

• Content Builds Community (and Organic Traffic): Consistent, valuable content—whether it’s a blog, podcast, or video—builds authority, brings in organic traffic, and creates a stickier customer base. AI can help, but human insight still matters.

• Choose Partners Wisely: The Shopify ecosystem is crowded and noisy. Having trusted, experienced partners makes it easier to cut through the clutter and connect with solutions that actually move the needle.

Guest Spotlight

Dennis’s journey through commerce is anything but ordinary. He started out in finance at Merrill Lynch, but quickly realized his real passion was in retail. Dennis made the leap, spending years mastering traditional wholesale—managing sales and distribution for global brands like Casio and Incase, and learning the ropes with department stores and big retail chains.

But Dennis was always looking ahead. He saw early on that the real momentum was shifting online, even when ecommerce was just a blip on the retail radar. That insight led him into the digital marketplace world, with roles at Society6 and Art.com (later acquired by Walmart). After a “tech sabbatical” teaching at USC, Dennis joined Shopify, where he and I worked closely together.

As a Merchant Success Lead, he helped mid-market and enterprise brands scale up—especially during the wild growth of the COVID era. His time at Shopify gave him a deep understanding of both platform capabilities and what merchants really need. He then spent a year at Firework, diving into the fast-moving world of video commerce.

Seeing a pattern—brands struggling to connect strategy, channels, and expertise—Dennis co-founded The Other Group. Today, he draws on his rich tapestry of experience across retail, wholesale, SaaS, and marketplaces to help omnichannel brands unlock growth and navigate uncertainty as a trusted advisor and fractional leader.

Guest Contact Information

Dennis Yao Yu
Co-Founder, The Other Group

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Email

Links & Resources

• The Other Group
• Firework
• Videowise
• Tolstoy

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