Friction Studio: From $100 to $20K a Month as a Shopify Agency

Who built it, and what they built

Friction Studio is a Shopify agency based in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, founded by Vishal Goswami. The agency designs, builds, and grows Shopify stores for direct-to-consumer brands, aiming to remove friction between eCommerce design, development, and strategy.

The business started in January 2020 with just $100 and has since grown to a team of 12, working with Shopify Plus merchants and well-known names in the industry.

How they grew

Since its early days, Friction Studio has worked with more than 100 DTC brands worldwide. The founder reports that sales grew 250% since the previous update, with revenue now at $20,000 per month.

Growth has come from a mix of organic channels, PR, and outbound efforts. LinkedIn and cold email outreach proved the most effective, with the founder reporting a 90% open rate and a 15% reply rate across campaigns. Repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals also played a role.

Not every channel paid off. Case studies posted on creative portfolio platforms brought little return, so the team plans to concentrate on its main social media presence, expand email outreach, and put more budget into paid marketing.

Where it is now