If I were in your shoes, the very first thing I'd do is completely ignore Shopify for a week and instead get absolutely obsessed with my future customer.
That's where I'd start because the platform isn't the business. It’s the tool. True growth comes from resonance, from a specific person feeling like you truly get them. Dan Demsky talks about this on eCommerce MasterPlan regarding his brand, Unbound Merino. He wasn't just selling clothes, he was solving a problem for a specific type of traveler. Everything, from product to marketing, flowed from that deep customer understanding. Without it, you’re just guessing at what works.
So, in week one, I’d do nothing but customer research. I'd write a detailed profile of my ideal buyer. I would find the subreddits, Facebook groups, or blogs where they spend their time, and I'd just read. I would pay close attention to the specific words they use to describe their problems and what they're looking for. The goal is empathy, not sales.
Then, in month one, it's time to build a minimum viable store. I’d pick a clean, fast, and proven theme and install only the absolute essential apps. Kurt Elster is always hammering this point on The Unofficial Shopify Podcast: speed and simplicity win. Too many new merchants build a slow, clunky site by adding dozens of apps for problems they don't even have yet. Your goal is a functional store with a clear homepage, a few great product pages, and a working checkout. That's it.
The thing I'd actively ignore at the start is premature optimization. I'd ignore trying to be on every social media platform, setting up complex email flows, or A/B testing button colors. None of that matters without traffic and a proven offer.
The biggest trap I'd want you to avoid is thinking that tweaking your Shopify store is the work. It feels productive, but it's often a form of procrastination. The real work is getting your product in front of people. I always think of Pia Mance’s journey from handmaking pieces, which she broke down on Shopify Masters. She focused on her product and building a community first. Shopify as a platform was the vehicle that allowed her to scale when she was ready, but it didn't create the initial demand. Her story is a powerful lesson in building a strong brand identity through connection and passion before anything else. The platform should always serve the brand, not the other way around.