1/7/26

Episode Summary

In this episode, host Scott Austin appears as a guest on the Day in a Canoe Podcast, hosted by Nathan Mersereau. They discuss Scott’s personal and professional journey, including his early life growing up in Connecticut, his decade in the U.S. Coast Guard, 12 years at Microsoft, and how those experiences shaped his approach to leadership, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship. Scott also talks about his work with Shopify brands through the JadePuma agency and shares his perspective on technology—especially AI—and how he uses it effectively while being mindful of its limitations. The conversation highlights broader themes of true wealth, curiosity, relationships, and lifelong learning rather than focusing solely on ecommerce topics.

Show Links

• Day in a Canoe Podcasts - https://planningalt.com/insights/tag/day-in-a-canoe-podcasts
• Badgezilla - https://apps.shopify.com/badgezilla

Transcript & Video

https://jadepuma.com/blogs/the-shopify-solutions-podcast/episode-176-day-in-a-canoe-podcast

12/24/25

Episode Summary

Guest & Topic

• Host Scott Austin brings on attorney Brenda Pagliaro to explain ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance as it applies to e-commerce websites, especially Shopify stores.

Key Points

• ADA compliance requirements are complex and evolving, and many store owners are confused about what they must do to make their sites accessible.
• Pagliaro outlines background on the ADA, how accessibility regulations are interpreted for websites, and why online stores often get targeted with demand letters and lawsuits.
• There is no guaranteed way to prevent getting sued; the focus should be on mitigating risk by implementing accessibility practices, documentation, processes, and using tools (like accessibility apps), though none are a silver bullet.
• Many cases settle before court, but even settlements and legal defense can be costly for small stores.

Practical Takeaways

• Ecommerce site owners should take ADA compliance seriously, proactively prepare for potential claims, and combine accessibility tools with internal policies and ongoing review to reduce legal risk.

Show Links

• Brenda Pagliaro - brendapagliarollc@gmail.com or brenda@mediationworksfl.com
• Brand-It! Calendar - https://apps.shopify.com/brand-it-calendar

Transcript & Video

https://jadepuma.com/blogs/the-shopify-solutions-podcast/episode-175-talking-ada-compliance-with-an-attorney

12/10/25

Episode Summary

🎙️ What the episode is about

• The episode is actually the host — Scott Austin of JadePuma — being interviewed on another podcast, where he reflects on running a Shopify-focused agency, his career journey, and what it takes to build a sustainable ecommerce business.
• Scott describes how JadePuma serves mostly smaller or early-stage Shopify stores — founders and small teams, rather than big brands. He emphasizes his preference to work directly with decision-makers.

🔎 Key Themes & Lessons

• Running a Shopify-only agency — Scott explains why he chose to focus exclusively on Shopify (vs. other platforms or marketplaces): because Shopify offers flexibility, control over your storefront, and strong infrastructure.
• Consistency and work ethic over “overnight success” — He warns against the “get-rich-quick” narratives. According to Scott, building a successful ecommerce business — or agency — takes persistent effort, long hours, and gradual progression.
• The hardest part is often customer acquisition and growth scaling — Scott says that while product creation or building the website/platform may seem hard, finding customers (and then retaining them) is the real, ongoing challenge.
• One flexible theme + repeatable processes = scalability across niches — He claims that using a single well-known theme (in his case a “Flex” theme) and mastering it lets him quickly deploy stores across various industries, without needing different themes for each niche.
• Growth comes from cumulative daily effort, not shortcuts — He shares a real client example whose revenue multiplied ~20× over a few years. The key: sticking with a plan, iterating consistently — even when progress seems slow — instead of chasing quick wins or marketing hype.

✅ Main Takeaway

Scott’s core message: building a Shopify-based business (or agency) is “hard work.” It’s not glamorous or immediate success. It requires discipline, consistency, honest effort over the long haul. There are no shortcuts — but with steady execution, small wins compound over time.

Show Links

- Badgezilla: https://apps.shopify.com/badgezilla

Transcript & Video

https://jadepuma.com/blogs/the-shopify-solutions-podcast/episode-174-this-shopify-stuff-is-hard-work