Your next specialty starts here

A 12-week, hands-on group program to help you build custom Shopify stores with confidence & become the go-to Shopify designer in your network.

Save me a spot

You're constantly on the "get new web design clients" hamster wheel.

So why aren't you working with brands you'd buy from yet?

Right now, your life looks something like this…

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You've got 12 Instagram reels that you were supposed to record staring at you from the corner, and your inquiry form kinda seems to be taking a snooze.

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You scroll Instagram after a long day yeeting Showit canvases around and see:

  • That designer who just worked with the cutest skincare brand
  • An eCom client thanking their web designer for the magic she worked, not asking if they can get just one more revision
  • A portfolio piece from a Shopify designer who you think must be a coding wizard to achieve something that cool, right?!

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And there's this mix of envy + disbelief brewing:

"Ugh, working with product-based brands like that looks SO cool. I wish I could do that. But I have noooo idea how I'd really be able to bring the cute designs I do on Squarespace/Showit to Shopify. I don't come from a developer/coding background so there's no way I could pull this off."

So you keep screaming into the social media void, churning out the same 5-page wedding photographer websites, and smiling through the creeping fear that AI is getting better and better at what you do.

Laptop phone and matcha snacks on a cafe table

You want to work with brands whose products you’d buy yourself, AND with room in the budget to make it worth clearing your calendar for.

Because you still get excited about a gorgeous website. That skincare website has you thinking, “I have SO many ideas for a brand like this”.

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AND. Keeping your studio busy has become a slog. You’re spending so much time trying to get someone to inquire, then lowering your prices at the last second before hitting "send" on your proposals to not scare them off.

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So you keep taking on the same kinds of website projects because you know how to build them (pretty well, might I add)...while your Pinterest board is like the land of forgotten dreams.

Let’s Make Shopify My Thing

The thing is: you already have the web design part down.

Becoming a specialist in Shopify just means learning the right process to turn those skills into value for eCom brands.

Shopify might feel like a stretch for you, but:

  • You already know how to turn a brand’s personality into a website that feels so them.
  • Your design taste is ~on point~. 
  • It's also not your first time at the client-project rodeo.

So you're not starting from scratch by getting into Shopify. Sure, you'll need to get a hang of the platform, how to scope more complex eCom projects, and how to run them smoothly as a studio of one, but this isn't the same as when you first cracked open Wordpress in 2014.

Okay, I’m Listening
Woman in a white tee holding a closed laptop

Here’s what we’re working toward

Six months from now, a brand you’d LOVE to work with says, “We saw the Shopify store you designed. Can we talk?”

It's a skincare brand (that you literally already have in your bathroom!), and they’ve seen your latest portfolio piece.

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They’re coming to you not only for your Shopify expertise, but because in their words "it's so hard to find a Shopify designer that gets the vibe we're going for". 

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An added bonus is that they have a budget that makes you want to clear your calendar.

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A few weeks later, you’re designing a product page for something you use every morning (and texting a friend, “Look who I’m working with!”).

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When it goes live, you’re sending the link to anyone who’ll look. You’ve been paid well, you’d happily do another project like it, and now you’ve got one more bangin' portfolio piece that'll help you book more.

And you can do this all without your search history looking like this:

  • shopify vs showit for designers
  • do i need to learn liquid to design on shopify
  • how to make a shopify store not look like a template
  • how much to charge for a shopify website design
  • can you do showit style animations on shopify
  • shopify theme editor why

Let’s Get Me on Their Wishlist

The Shopify Studio is a 12-week, application-based group program that gets design-led web designers confidently building and selling custom Shopify stores without getting lost in the weeds of code.

That's exactly what we do

inside of

The Shopify Studio.

What this isn't

A “learn Liquid then go buy a fancy theme and sprinkle some code on top for your client” course.

What this is

An entire Shopify design methodology that gives you a unique, fuss-free approach to building CUSTOM Shopify sites for clients (and the right library of resources to pull it all off, fast).

Okay, I Want In

"But don't I need to basically be a developer to do these cool gorgeous custom things on Shopify?!" 

Actually, no. It's better (and way more fun) to build on Shopify with the right resource: kind of like a Figma component library, but built for Shopify. 

WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN??

In The Shopify Studio, I teach the exact methodology I've developed over 7 years of doing client projects on Shopify, which looks a little bit like this:

  1. A free Shopify theme running the core things like the cart, navigation, structure etc., then
  2. Bungalow Creative's proprietary foundation styling layer so you have WAY more control over the look + feel than even paid Shopify themes give, then
  3. A whole library of plug-and-play Shopify sections layered on, so you stop wanting to give up the Shopify theme editor + its restrictiveness for good. 

What you'll do inside the program:

1

Hop right into building super-custom Shopify stores with The Section Studio Methodology, so you have the portfolio piece that makes your dream eCom client think, “I NEED her to build ours”.

2

Learn the fun shopping psychology that supercharges your design decisions, so clients trust your recommendations and deeply understand why your expertise is worth paying for.

3

Create your Worth-It Quote, so you can send proposals you’re super excited about and still love the project halfway through.

4

Learn exactly what belongs on (and off) your plate with the Frontend First Framework, so you can take on ambitious eCom brands without freaking out that you might have promised something you have no business doing. 

5

Implement the Build-to-Retainer Roadmap in your client process, so a store you had an absolute ball designing easily becomes a client you love having on the books every month.

You'll walk away with:

A finished custom Shopify store...that you're obsessed with

One you can put front and center in your portfolio and happily send to a brand you’d LOVE to work with.

The ability to bring your *stellar* design taste to life on Shopify sites

So you can feel as creatively free during an eCom build as you do with your favorite Showit projects.

Julia Dennis standing with an open laptop
My Shopify Era Starts Here

Your own repeatable Shopify client workflow

So you can keep things super easy-breezy (and profitable) in your small design studio where you wear a whole bunch of hats.

Clarity on your next chapter as a designer

So brands come to you thinking "Please tell me she's taking clients" when half their Instagram feed has “two spots left for June”.

And once you make shopify your thing...

You'll BOOK the product brands you'd buy from, get REFERRED as the Shopify gal, and raise your rate without  ‎ signing up for a coding boot camp in order to do so.

Because the Shopify landscape needs more of us design-forward, storytelling-focused small design studios.

Show Me How to Do It
Julia Dennis kneeling in a lilac tracksuit holding a green drink
Founder and lead designer developer badge

Been there, built that.

I’m Julia Dennis, founder of Bungalow Creative, designer of Shopify sites seen in Vogue/Vanity Fair/Glamour, and your new Shopify bestie.

Bungalow started as a branding studio, so I hopped right into Shopify with a designer’s eye and a very optimistic “I’ll figure it out” attitude.

In 2019, I said yes to my first Shopify inquiry thinking it was probably basically Squarespace with a shopping cart... right? (A bold theory, poorly researched).

After completely YOLOing that project, I got better at building the stores I pictured in my head and running projects I’d be happy to do again. And within a year, BOTH my average web design rate and my referrals nearly doubled.

Today, I’m a Shopify Select Partner, and my unique, tried-and-true design approach I use for client projects is the one I teach inside The Shopify Studio.

I kept hearing from talented designers who wanted to do this work but were intimidated by Shopify's "hurdles" (which, aren't really that hurdle-y if you just get the right guidance...).

So I built The Shopify Studio to show you how I do it, with room for all the “okay, but how would I…” questions along the way.

Because I've been literally loving life as a small design studio owner since making Shopify my thing. I'd love for you to feel the same too. 

What's Inside (The Breakdown)

Get comfy with Shopify, then get comfy charging for it.

Over 12 weeks, we alternate curriculum weeks (watch the lessons) with implementation weeks (put them to work in your store and your business), so you finish with a finished store and project system instead of a folder of docs that you promise you'll get back to one day.

Julia Dennis in sunglasses holding two white shopping bags

The Shopify Landscape

Weeks 1-2

Get your bearings before you build anything: who's hiring Shopify designers (and what they're used to paying), how Shopify is different from the drag-and-drop builders you're used to, and how the theme editor thinks. 

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AKA, the week where Shopify stops feeling like you're at a random bus stop in a foreign country where you don't speek the language. 

Community Q&A, Monday to Friday

Pop in with “Julia, how the heck do I do this?” and show me where you’re stuck—I'll come in swinging with a detailed how-to or Loom walkthrough.

Bi-weekly Group calls

We’ll get into the nitty gritty of more advanced Shopify + design studio topics, with Q&A time to ask how it applies to your situation.

Lilac MacBook

Comes With a Shopify Enabler (Me)

Okay, Where Do I Sign?

Site and process-building sprints

Structured, dedicated time to put the lessons to work in a real-life store, so you get some practice while you’ve got me and the group to ask.

The Section Studio library for all 12 weeks

You’ll get 60+ customizable Shopify sections to use in your store, plus a prioirty request form for any layouts you’d love for me to add to the library.

They’ve Been Where You’re Sitting

“I’ve already seen an increase in conversions.”

“I already had experience building Shopify websites and felt pretty confident, but I wanted to take my designs to the next level. I wanted to create websites that stood out and give my template customers something they could be proud of.

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Julia taught us so much more than how to create beautiful Shopify websites. From design techniques and customization to conversion strategy and customer research, she connected so many dots for me.

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She walked us through the business side, too, including identifying the types of clients we should work with based on the business we want to build, her onboarding process, and the systems and workflows she uses.

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I’ve taken courses before that promised this kind of comprehensive training, but Julia delivered. I walked away feeling like a much more confident and knowledgeable designer, with processes I can use in my business. And I’ve already seen an increase in conversions on my own website and in sales of my Shopify templates!”

— Asha Glenn

“Now I can give that to my eCom clients.”

“I felt pretty confident designing on Shopify, but wanted a better understanding of how to recreate my services for eCom. Coming from a service-based design background, creating done-for-you packages for eCom was a bit tricky.

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I now understand how to truly customize Shopify for my clients, which is game-changing because I love Showit animations and creative freedom, but now I can give that to my eCom clients.

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I didn’t realize how much I needed to understand backend settings like metafields and metaobjects until walking through the course. Most of my clients have a small product line, but metafields could help them launch new products when they’re ready to grow without rebuilding each page from scratch.

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I loved the program. I loved that it didn’t require weekly calls and that some sessions were recorded, which gave me a lot of flexibility to work on my timeline. This program was wonderful, Julia, and I truly learned A LOT!”

— Lena Renee

“The biggest thing I took away was the business side.”

“Before joining, I was already confident in web design and had a development background, along with some Shopify experience. I wanted to understand what was possible beyond the standard theme editor and how to structure Shopify as a service within my business.

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The biggest thing I took away from the program was the business side. Learning where to find Shopify clients, how to approach discovery, pricing and proposals, client communication, and project management was incredibly valuable.

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I was surprised by how practical and immediately applicable the program was. Processes I could implement in my business, and little considerations that might have taken me years to learn on my own, ended up being some of my biggest takeaways.

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Overall, I feel much more confident building in Shopify, positioning it as a core service in my business, and leading larger eCom projects from beginning to end. I’d recommend this to web designers who want to specialize in Shopify but don’t necessarily know how to turn that skill into a well-structured service and business.”

— Nicole Trojanowski

“I can finally design the storefront to look the way I want.”

“I had a lot of segmented knowledge about Shopify, but some gaps were keeping me from building a Shopify site from scratch.

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Taking this course in tandem with the progress of Claude Code has really opened the door to designing in Shopify. I can finally design the storefront to look the way I want rather than having to work around template limitations.

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I thought it could potentially be more high-level and vague, but I appreciate the transparency Julia had throughout and how in-depth she went with each topic. It’s apparent she has a breadth of knowledge to share and cares about creating high-quality lessons.

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I’d recommend it to someone who has a design background and has dipped a toe in Shopify but hasn’t quite figured out how to move beyond adjusting basic template design.”

— Kristen Petsche

“I can finally design the storefront to look the way I want.”

“I had a lot of segmented knowledge about Shopify, but some gaps were keeping me from building a Shopify site from scratch.

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Taking this course in tandem with the progress of Claude Code has really opened the door to designing in Shopify. I can finally design the storefront to look the way I want rather than having to work around template limitations.

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I thought it could potentially be more high-level and vague, but I appreciate the transparency Julia had throughout and how in-depth she went with each topic. It’s apparent she has a breadth of knowledge to share and cares about creating high-quality lessons.

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I’d recommend it to someone who has a design background and has dipped a toe in Shopify but hasn’t quite figured out how to move beyond adjusting basic template design.”

— Kristen Petsche

Another section with more casual feedback i've gotten - "The Group Chat Has Thoughts"

I Want My Own “Glad I Did This” Moment

I Had You in Mind When I Made This:

  • You're a Showit, Squarespace or Webflow designer and the Shopify inquiries keep showing up in your inbox (and you keep begrudgingly steering them somewhere else).
  • You’ve got the design part down, and you’d love to become the person your network thinks of when someone needs a Shopify store.
  • You’ve definitely browsed a brand’s online store and thought, “God, I’d love to get my hands on this.”
  • You want the kind of portfolio piece that gets passed around with “you need to hire her” attached...no IG hamster wheel required.
  • You want a specialty with a higher barrier to entry than the drag-and-drop design bubble you're in now.

And Yes, That Includes You EVEN If:

  • You've never opened Shopify. We’ll get you up to speed in Phase 1, and the Monday to Friday Q&A is there for the “here’s my screen, what am I doing wrong?” questions.
  • Or, you HAVE built a few store before but kinda hate the editor. (I did, too, before figuring out a way to design on Shopify that doesn't make you feel like you're in design Alcatraz). 
  • You've tried the $400 premium theme plus a bit of CSS lipstick route and it felt weird charging real money for it.
  • You bought a code-everything Shopify course and came out more intimidated than you went in. 
  • You've got a stack of upcoming client projects. We alternate curriculum weeks with builder weeks because I’m assuming “abandon all paying clients for my Shopify education” isn’t on your to-do list.
  • You're not sure you want to only be a 100% Shopify designer. You don't have to be (fun fact: I still take the odd Webflow side quest).

Your Questions, Answered

Nope. The Section Studio Methodology exists so you can build truly custom storefronts without the upfront slog of learning HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Liquid first. You get 60+ copy-paste sections and a system for putting them together, so your design taste does the heavy lifting (and the code is already written).

If you want to dip a toe in, there's a Code Quick-Wins lesson with the low-effort, high-reward CSS tweaks I make on most stores, plus already-written snippets you can pop in. Optional, promise.

And if you're in VIP, you get my bonus module on building your own sections from scratch, for the day you've got a layout idea you want to make yourself.

Then you're the person I built this for. Phase 1 is literally called The Shopify Landscape: how Shopify is different from the drag-and-drop builders you're used to, how the theme editor thinks, and who's hiring Shopify designers (and what they're used to paying).

You already know how to turn a brand's personality into a website that feels like them, and that part transfers. The platform is the new bit, so we take it in order, with builder weeks in between so you're doing instead of just watching.

Some people in the group will be opening Shopify for the first time, others have a couple of stores under their belt. Both are welcome, and the Monday to Friday Q&A means nobody's stuck on a "wait, where's the button" question for long.

You'll fit right in. If you've been working inside the theme editor and feeling like your designs get watered down to fit whatever the theme can handle, this shows you a completely different way of working: your own set of sections, so the theme stops being the constraint.

The business side also tends to be the big takeaway for designers who already know the platform (where to find Shopify clients, what to say no to, pricing and proposals, retainers). Nicole came in with a dev background and some Shopify experience, and that's what she said she took away.

Plan for a couple of focused pockets a week. Curriculum weeks are watch-the-lessons weeks and builder weeks are go-do-the-thing-in-your-dev-store weeks, so the lessons never pile up on you.

It's designed for working designers with client projects (and a life) on the go. Keep your projects moving and build this in the background. Lena said the no-weekly-calls setup and the recorded sessions gave her a lot of flexibility to work on her own timeline.

No, and please don't. We build on Dawn, Shopify's free theme, which is what I start most client projects on too (the sections make it unrecognizable, in a good way).

For the store itself, you'll set up a free development store through the Shopify Partner Program in week 1, and I'll walk you through it. Dev stores stay free while you're building, and it's the same workflow you'll use on client projects, where the store gets transferred to them at the end.

That fear is real, and it's a big reason I'd pick Shopify if I were starting over. The drag-and-drop lane is crowded, and AI tools are getting good at the generic version of it. Shopify has a higher barrier to entry, which is annoying on day one and your moat on day 100: eCom brands with real budgets want someone who knows the platform, the shopping psychology, and how to run the project.

Inside the program we use AI where it helps (Kristen worked through the course alongside Claude Code, and the VIP section-building module has a lesson on speeding things up with AI). Your design taste and your judgement about what makes people buy are the parts that stay yours.

The group calls are live on Zoom and recorded, so if one falls during a client call you can catch it after. Between calls, the Monday to Friday community Q&A is where most of the real-time help happens anyway: post where you're stuck and I'll come back with a detailed how-to or a Loom walkthrough.

You get unlimited access to The Section Studio library (60+ sections, plus the request form) for all 12 weeks, so every store you build during the program can use it.

If you want to keep building with it after, The Section Studio is available as its own license, and I'll remind you about it near the end of the program. VIP members also get the commercial license, which covers templates you build with the sections and sell.

Yes. When I send your invitation, you'll get a pay-in-full option and a payment plan option for both Core and VIP. Pick whichever fits your cash flow this quarter (no judgment, I run a studio of one too).

Like all my digital products, program spots are final sale once you're in, because you get access to the curriculum, the library and the group right away (and I'm holding a spot in a small cohort for you).

So please ask me everything before you join. Think of the application as a no-pressure "hey, I'm interested" and we can talk through any question you've got before you decide. The "Your First Shopify Suitor" guarantee below is my end of the deal once you're in.

The next round kicks off Monday, February 22, 2027. If we're a good fit, you'll get your invitation plus access to some of the first modules ahead of time, so you can get settled in (or get a head start, if you're that person).

Most Shopify education falls into three buckets: development-heavy (learn Liquid, then build everything by hand), dropshipping content, or basic platform walkthroughs.

This one hands you a finished section library on day one and teaches you to design with it, so the custom-feeling store comes first and the code stays optional. Then it spends the back half on scope and the business side: what to say no to, the contract clauses for a frontend-first build, pricing and proposals, and turning the launch into a retainer. And VIP comes with a commercial license, so the stores you build with the sections can become templates you sell.

Totally fine. You'll still walk away able to say yes to the eCom inquiries that show up in your inbox, and run them well.

For what it's worth, I still take the occasional Webflow project as a bit of a side quest. I just don't position myself around it anymore, and being known for Shopify is what drives the level of projects I get.

Let’s get you off the fence (and into Shopify).

YES, this works whether you’ve never opened Shopify or you’ve built a few stores and have some complaints.

NO, you don’t need to code to build the kind of stores you’re admiring.

YES, you can bring your “I have a very specific vision for this” tendencies with you.

NO, designing their store doesn’t make you their new eCom manager. We’ll get very clear on where your job ends.

YES, you can keep doing client projects during the program (I’m assuming you’d like to keep getting paid).

NO, you’re not back at square one. You’re an experienced designer learning how to work on a different platform.

YES, we’ll get into the money part, including how to quote a Shopify project without wildly underquoting. 

NO, you don’t have to go Shopify-only (though, when you see how much fun it is you might want to). 

And if you're STILL on the fence, send the application anyway (it's totally non-binding, more of a "hey, I'm interested").

Alright, Where Do I Apply?

You’d make a very good Shopify designer.

Core Access

Core Access
Lilac MacBook

12 weeks of structured curriculum

Build the kind of Shopify store you’ve been wishing someone would hire you for, then learn how to scope, price, and sell more of them.

Value
$300
Silver metallic tote bag

The Section Studio library access

Bring your very particular design ideas to life with 60+ customizable sections, so you can spend more of your project hours on the fun part.

Value
$300
Silver over-ear headphones

Community Q&A, Monday to Friday

Get my eyes on whatever’s holding you up, so you can get back to building with an answer that makes sense for your project.

Value
$300
Silver bubble mailer

Monthly group workshops + Q&A

We’ll talk through what’s working now, with time for your “how would this work for my project?” questions.

Value
$300
Total value $4,000
Your investment

$2,350 USD

Save Me a Spot

VIP Access

Everything included in core VIP Extras
Chrome shopping trolley

Sections commercial license

Turn your design style into Shopify templates you can sell, with a commercial license that lets you use the library to build out your shop.

Value
$300
Grey and white mechanical keyboard

Bonus module

Unlock total creative freedom in Shopify by learning my process for coding custom sections, so the world is your oyster when it comes to layouts.

Value
$300
Purple lava lamp

2 hour-long 1:1 calls with me

Get two hours of my undivided attention for the decisions that’ll help you earn more from Shopify, based on where your studio is right now.

Value
$300
Silver metallic gift bag with chain handles

5 material reviews

Get specific feedback on your proposals, portfolio, stores, or templates, so you know what to refine before sending them out into the world.

Value
$300
Stack of silver metallic gift boxes

2 priority section requests

Get two custom sections built within a week of requesting each one (a very handy thing to have on call when you’re mid-project).

Value
$300
Total value $4,000
Your investment

$3,500 USD

Say No More, I’m In

The “Your First Shopify Suitor” Guarantee

Within a year of making Shopify my specialty, BOTH my average web design rate and my referrals nearly doubled. I’d love for you to have your own “okay, I’m very glad I did this” moment.

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If throughout the program, you do the following:

  • Complete the curriculum
  • Finish your store and share it for feedback
  • Personally reach out to at least 20 potential Shopify clients or referral partners

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…and not one potential client has said they’re interested in working with you on Shopify, you’ll get an extra month of VIP support with me, on me.

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We’ll go through your offer, portfolio, and the messages you’ve been sending to figure out what needs tweaking.

Okay, I’ll Take That Deal

Apply Now

Lilac MacBook
1

Send me your application

I read every one. Think of it as a no-pressure “hey, I’m interested” (you can decide about joining later).

Silver over-ear headphones
Chrome shopping trolley
2

Watch your inbox

If we’re a good fit, I’ll send your invitation to join and a link to book your spot.

3

We start together on [cohort start date]

You’ll get everything you need to get settled in before we kick off our 12 weeks, and I'll give you access to some of the first modules in case you'd like a head start.

Send My Application

You could be the Shopify fairy godmother ‎ your network recommends to all their brand-owner friends.

Think about the online stores you’d LOVE to have in your portfolio. Picture one of their founders finding your work and sending it to her co-founder saying, “This is who I want us to hire” (and you’re texting your friend, “LOOK”).

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I’d love to help you get there. Come build something you’re proud of with us.

Save me a seat, Julia