Shania Ambros

I started the Shopify Course in early 2024, went on hiatus, then got back into it in 2025. At the time, I had a little over a year of experience in retail + eCommerce, held a temp job in retail stocking, and was looking to get back into website work. Since I already had an interest in web development, UX, and web analytics, I thought learning Shopify would help me boost my competitive edge. Not to mention, I wanted to push my creative boundaries and develop sites like the GLOWE and SPOONS themes.

Honestly, in the beginning, my heart and intentions weren't in the right place so trying to get through level 1 felt like a lot. Navigating Shopify felt so complex compared to the lighter site builders I was familiar with (I've only worked on media, events, and service-based web projects).

After coming back with some experience in site merchandising and taking the Digital Marketing Course, I grew a genuine interest in eCommerce systems & experience design. That mindset shift gave me more patience to learn the fundamentals, rewatch all of level 1 maybe 2-3 times, and really think about what should be coded. (+ what it means to have clean code!)

I love how Megumi teaches UX/UI decision-making as a Shopify developer because they highlight the necessity of designing sustainable web components. I've seen many courses, communities, and even freelancers talk about web design and UX solely focusing on customer engagement, but forget about the client's maintenance experience.

You don't need experience in web design, programming, or eCommerce marketing to feel comfortable learning Shopify. They help, but having no experience is *not* going to set you back. You're learning new concepts and skills so its inevitable to feel challenged. The ILC discord community and Megumi are wonderful additions to your support system that will help you start your journey with Shopify.

So many good things to say, I don't know where to begin. Shoutout to Megumi for their edutaining lessons and holistic perspectives on building with Shopify! I certainly feel more confident framing my client/partner scope as a beginner and how I think about developing B2C online spaces.