“Nobody wants to get rich slowly.”

Nick Mertz started Pins and Aces with $6,000 and zero outside capital. Today, his golf lifestyle brand does $25 million a year, employs over 40 people, and ships every order from their own warehouse outside Denver. But with customer acquisition costs through the roof, Nick stopped fighting the ad auction and built an omnichannel machine instead. We break down how live selling on Whatnot and TikTok became a serious revenue channel ($400K in December alone on TikTok Shop), why licensing collabs with Coca-Cola and South Park actually boost brand legitimacy, and how wholesale is flipping from 10% to 40% of revenue. Plus: the grab bag strategy that went nuclear, and why Nick runs his family business like a sports team.

SPONSORS

Swym – Wishlists, Back in Stock alerts, & more
getswym.com/kurt

Cleverific – Smart order editing for Shopify
cleverific.com

Zipify – Build high-converting sales funnels
zipify.com/KURT

LINKS

• Pins and Aces: https://pinsandaces.com
• Nick Mertz on Instagram: https://instagram.com/nvmertz
• Pins and Aces on Instagram: https://instagram.com/pinsandaces
• Nick’s first episode (June 2023): https://unofficialshopifypodcast.com/episodes/%5BLINK-TO-ORIGINAL-EPISODE%5D
• Whatnot: https://whatnot.com
• TikTok Shop: https://shop.tiktok.com

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The Unofficial Shopify Podcast is hosted by Kurt Elster and explores the stories behind successful Shopify stores. Get actionable insights, practical strategies, and proven tactics from entrepreneurs who’ve built thriving ecommerce businesses.