Announcing Shopify’s Build a BIGGER Business Competition

Shopify’s Building a Business competition began as a way to encourage people around the world to pursue their entrepreneurial passion and start the business of their dreams.This year, we decided to try something new. We’ve partnered with renowned Life and Business Strategist Tony Robbins to launch our first-ever Build a BIGGER Business competition — an entrepreneurial challenge for ready-to-scale online businesses. Learn everything you need to know about the competition and how you can support your clients who decided to enter.

If you’ve been around the Shopify ecosystem for the past few years, you’re likely familiar with our annual Build a Business competition.

Build a Business began as a way to encourage people around the world to pursue their entrepreneurial passion and start the business of their dreams. Since its initial launch, we’ve helped thousands of entrepreneurs build amazing businesses with the help of industry leaders like Mark Cuban, Seth Godin, Arianna Huffington, and Sir Richard Branson.

This year, we decided to try something new. We’re proud to announce Shopify’s first-ever Build a BIGGER Business competition — an entrepreneurial challenge for ready-to-scale online businesses.

Let Shopify help your clients Build a BIGGER Business

Shopify’s Build a BIGGER Business competition is our way of empowering established entrepreneurs to take their businesses to new heights.

We’ve partnered with Tony Robbins — entrepreneur, best-selling author, and the nation’s #1 Life and Business Strategist — to create a competition that equips medium-sized businesses with the tools and mentorship needed to accelerate their entrepreneurial dreams.

The entry period is open until February 28, 2017, and the competition concludes on July 31, 2017 when the two businesses with the highest growth in sales volume, and percentage growth, will be selected to receive our grand prize, which includes:

• Airfare to New York City to ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
• A once-in-a-lifetime entrepreneurial getaway at the Namale Resort and Spa in Fiji with Tony Robbins and our other business mentors.
• A marketing architecture worth $1 million, which includes branding, advertising, and public relations strategies from leading creative agencies.
• A free two-year Shopify Plus subscription (some fees excluded).

Winners from the following six additional categories will also join our grand prize winners in New York City and Fiji:

• Best Scale Strategy
• Best Marketing Strategy
• Best Raving Fan Culture
• The Disruptor
• Tony Robbins Choice
• Shopify’s Pick

Winners for these categories will be picked from the top 50 entrants with the highest percentage growth during the competition period. Read our Terms and Conditions to learn more about our competition categories.

The benefits aren’t limited to winners alone.

By simply registering for Build a BIGGER Business, your clients will receive on-demand advice and guidance from our all-star mentors through the Build a BIGGER Business Academy, an exclusive participant-only community and learning platform, led by some of the industry’s hottest moguls, including Daymond John, Tim Ferriss, Marie Forleo, Tom Farley, Debbie Sterling, and more.

How your clients can apply to Shopify’s Build a BIGGER Business

Many of your existing and prior clients may be in the perfect position to benefit from Build a BIGGER Business. They’ll not only receive actionable insight for scaling their business throughout the length of the competition, but winning could have a profound effect on their lives and businesses.

In order to be eligible for the Build a BIGGER Business competition, your client must:

• Be a privately-held business that has been on the market for over one year.
• Had sales between $1 million and $50 million (USD) during 2016.
• Already be selling online through Shopify, or has successfully migrated to Shopify by February 28, 2017 (with two months of sales on Shopify).

If your clients are interested in entering Build a BIGGER Business, they can submit their existing myshopify URL here.

Merchants have until February 28, 2017 to submit their applications to Shopify’s Build a BIGGER Business Competition. Once registered, the months between March 1, 2017 and July 31, 2017 will be used in the calculation of gross sales. Eligibility for the competition will be assessed when winners are picked, not when merchants submit their application. Read through our Terms and Conditions for more details about the competition, and how your clients can apply.

Learn More

If you have any questions about how you can help your clients win the Build a BIGGER Business competition, let us know in the comments below.