Rachel J.

#1 Trusted Advisor for Ecommerce Agencies | Simplifying the Process of Scaling Ecommerce Agencies | Founder of Ecommerce Partnerships & Ecommerce Agency Growth | Grade A Shenanigator ☘️

Leading trusted advisor for ecommerce agencies. Dedicated to enabling agency owners to get out of the day-to-day of running their agency so they can focus on taking it to the next level. As former COO of a leading ecommerce agency, I've support 100+ ecommerce agencies across the globe as fractional-COO, non-executive director, and board advisor.  

Number 1 authority in implementing best practice operations, systems, and processes to scale ecommerce agencies profitably and efficiently. From building scalable retainer models to coaching high-performing leadership teams, I work with ecommerce agencies to simplify the next steps in scaling their ecommerce agency.

Feel free to contact me directly: rachel@ecommercepartnerships.com

Fractional Chief Operations Officer

At Smart Solutions, our goal is to build great websites that increase overall revenue for your business and provide an easy way for customers to connect with you online. 

We are dependable, certified eCommerce experts who will help you strategize, execute, and grow. We are a privately held, boutique agency founded in 2004 and exclusively focused on eCommerce. We have an excellent team of employees and a great group of partners who take your business success personally. We do what is right for our customers, not what is easy.

Yesterday’s Financial Operations Workshop at #NRF2026 was exactly the kind of room we aim to create at Ecommerce Agency Growth.

A focused group of ecommerce agency owners and operators stepping away from tactics and noise to work on the fundamentals that shape everything else: margins, capacity, utilisation, pricing, and financial decision-making.

A huge thank you to Tiara Tragas from Tragas Consulting LLC for leading the workshop and taking full ownership of the day. She guided the room through the financial realities agencies face as they scale, grounding the conversation in frameworks around utilisation and decision-making clarity. 

The goal was simple and practical: understand your true capacity, set realistic targets by role, and price work based on delivery economics rather than assumptions.

We also heard from an incredible group of speakers who added depth and real-world perspective to the discussion:
- Scott Segel from Klaviyo on how retention connects back to operational decisions inside agencies.
- Gareth Roberts and Mathilde Vandenbosch from Shopify on how platform complexity changes the way agencies need to think about growth.
- Ben Riggle from Channable on operational efficiency at scale.
- Zac Cherin from Hiro Analytics on visibility, reporting, and financial insight,
 - Ashley Hildreth from Tapcart on aligning mobile strategy with broader agency growth.

And a special shoutout to EAG members Nihar Kulkarni, James Roberts and 🇺🇦 Andriy Boychuk who shared some of their experiences working alongside some of our amazing partners... 

As always, the most valuable part was the room itself, agencies openly comparing notes, and having the conversations that rarely happen when you’re stuck in day-to-day delivery. Grateful to everyone who contributed to the conversation and made the day what it was.

#ecommerceagency #agencygrowth #agencyoperations #financialoperations #agencyleadership #NRF2026

Rachel Jacobs

#1 Authority in Scaling Ecommerce Agencies

Today, the Financial Operations workshop is taking place at NRF in New York, led by leading authority when it comes to OKRs, KPIs and all things agency operations - Tiara Tragas.

Excited to host a room full of ecommerce agency operators who are intentional about stepping away from the noise to focus on the part of the business that shapes everything: financial clarity.

No cheap sales tactics. 
No flashy presentations.
No surface-level conversations.

Just operators working through margins, pricing, cash flow, and the decisions that determine how sustainable their agencies actually are.

We're not focused on hosting events with the most LinkedIn worthy photos, instead Ecommerce Agency Growth is obsessed with providing value to our wider agency network. 

The value isn’t in the slides; it’s in the depth of the discussion and the quality of the people in the room. And we've got a fantastic group of agencies attending! 

Delighted to see agencies investing time in the less visible work that creates stability, confidence, and better decisions long after the event ends.

And shoutout to the partners who made it possible: Shopify, Klaviyo, Channable, Tapcart and Hiro Analytics 

#ecommerceagency #agencygrowth #nrf2026 #agencyoperations

As the new year kicks off, I’m reminded of how much agency growth is shaped by the people you surround yourself with.

The most valuable conversations inside Ecommerce Agency Growth come from founders sharing what actually worked and what didn’t.

Community gives agency leaders perspective, clarity, and the confidence to make better decisions going into a new cycle.

To start the year with that same intention, Tiara Tragas is hosting a Financial Operations Workshop in New York during NRF. 

It’s a space for ecommerce agencies to work through the parts of the business that create stability and momentum for the year ahead.

If you’re attending NRF, we’d love to see you - January 12 in NYC

Save your seat: https://luma.com/vuxw98q9


#agencygrowth #ecommerceagency #nrf2026

Open article: NRF Agency Workshop - Financial Operations · Luma by luma.com

NRF Agency Workshop - Financial Operations · Luma

I was made aware that an agency who went bankrupt a few years ago is attempting to sell their agency brand/ Shopify Plus status for $150k 😱

I appreciate that Shopify status can play a factor in legitimate M&A deals, but a status thats not been active for several years surely isn't a valuable asset. 

And based on the changes to the Shopify status process, I'm fairly certain this wouldn't be a legitimate transaction...

Anyone else seen this happening?

#shopify #shopifypartners #agency

IS 2026 THE YEAR TO SELL YOUR AGENCY? I expect more agency owners will receive unsolicited offers, sometimes before they feel ready to make a decision. 

And the challenge isn’t the offer itself, it’s the lack of clarity around what they actually want. When an offer arrives out of the blue, it forces questions most founders haven’t paused long enough to answer:
• What do I really want next?
• Am I building toward an exit or away from burnout?
• Am I making a decision, or reacting to one?

The truth is, good decisions come from clarity, not urgency.

Now is a good moment to slow down, zoom out, and evaluate whether the path you’re on still aligns with the agency you want to build.

You don’t need to be preparing for M&A to benefit from that level of reflection; every founder should revisit their motivations, momentum, and desired outcomes as we step into a new year.

With a number of buyers (and sellers) in the Ecommerce Agency Growth community actively pursuing opportunities, I'm expecting to see a lot more smaller, rollup deals in the coming months...


#agencygrowth #ecommerceagency #agencyleadership #clarity

Opelika Chamber of Commerce

In my role as President & CEO of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, I have the distinct honor and pleasure of being the head cheerleader and advocate for small businesses in my community, while also being responsible for leading a team that promotes, partners with, and educates our community in the various skills we all need. We put on nearly 250 events and networking opportunities each year, while also leading numerous leadership programs for our city and county. We are developing stronger leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow and I am thrilled to have a hand in this success we are bound to see.

In the past two years, I have led our organization through a transition from a transactional Chamber of Commerce, to a transformational Chamber of Commerce. We are beginning to tackle major issues facing our community, acting as the catalyst and convener to solve these challenges for betterment of future generations. As one of only a few 5-star accredited chambers in the country (earned in June 2021), we are operating at the best of the best level and the growth of our organization is a testament to that. We've welcomed more than 180 new members in the last 12 months, have a 90+% retention rate and our new staff is energized and working hard for this business community. It's been an honor and pleasure to lead with positivity and tenacity through this phase!

President & CEO

Chicken Salad Chick

- Founding member & key leader of marketing team that has driven 16 quarters of positive same store sales, and $150M+ systemwide annual sales.
- Led both the Community & Company Marketing Teams, who are charged with local marketing and media planning, execution & brand support, plus grand opening planning & execution.  
- Managed franchise unit growth from 3 to 145+ in 7 short years, including a 33% unit growth over prior year in 2018, and 41% unit growth in 2017. 
- Served as strategic leader of various brand and marketing programs and vendors including media planning & buying, research & development, creative development, loyalty management, and more. 
- Served as project leader in the launch & creation of many technology marketing platforms including the CravingCredits loyalty program that now makes up 15% of sales with its 500K+ members, and the online ordering platform integrations. 
- Charged with the creation and execution of a new grand opening program that led to a 23% Increase in Average Daily Sales over prior year in 2018, and 47% over previous year in 2017. This initiative has resulted in an AUV growth of 29%+ since 2015.

Director of Marketing

CDI Electronics, Inc.

- Responsible for development and creation of marketing materials, publications, trade show booth design, and more, utilitizing my creative, writing, and graphic design skills. 
 - Represent CDI Electronics at various Trade Shows across North America, assisting in new client development and relationship building. 
- Design Team Leader for diagnostic software program, responsible for design concepts, product marketing, etc. 
- Additional responsibilities include new product development, technical writing in various forms, design and development of annual product/part catalog, etc.

Marketing and Sales Coordinator

Alabama Watermelon Association

- Responsible for the planning and implementation of special events, specifically the annual convention, meetings, and promotions throughout the state of Alabama
- Assist the AWA in a PR and media relations capacity
- Responsible for design and upkeep of the AWA website, www.alwatermelon.org

Promotions Coordinator & Website Designer

UDA Technologies, Inc

Marketing & Public Relations Manager
- Responsible for media & client relations, press releases, social media management, and professional copy including all web and correspondence text and a 700+ page user manual
- Successfully built personal clientele while balancing marketing, public relations, and human resources responsibilities

Project Manager - ConstructionOnline & OnSite Mobile Apps
- Orchestrated and led the creation and implementation of a new line of products for mobile and web access, resulting in an additional 40,000+ users. 
- Integral part of development team, with project management, staff coordination, and testing responsibilities

Marketing & Public Relations Manager

Auburn University

- Responsible for advising and presenting to prospective students and parents on university scholarship availability
- Developed graphic pieces for office including applications, award letters, and web design

Scholarship Advisor

Peckham Guyton Alberts & Viets, Inc

- Developed more than 50 bios/professional profiles of senior staff, including all interviews and writing duties, to be provided to clients as needed
- Responsible for creating internal communications display, featuring company highlights and prominent clients

Marketing Intern

Illiana Watermelon Association

Represented the IWA in a PR and media relations capacity
- Helped develop industry message, including the mission, views and goals of the industry
- Acting spokeswoman at major events as well as to local and national agribusiness media 
- Developed promotional events to raise IWA awareness

Public Relations Representative

My pal Chat told me... "I am a high-achieving, community-rooted force of nature with a bias toward action and an obsession with excellence. My strength is my ability to turn chaos into clarity and vision into reality.", and I have to say... I AGREE. Wow. Spot on! To take it even further, I’m a builder, a brand strategist, and a relentless optimist who thrives at the intersection of vision and execution. 

As President & CEO of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, I’ve spent the last five years turning bold ideas into real impact. Together with an exceptional team, we've achieved some of the industry’s highest honors—including being named the 2024 ACCE Chamber of the Year and earning 5-Star Accreditation through the U.S. Chamber. We’ve raised over $3 million for Forward Opelika, launched a complete brand overhaul, and delivered record-breaking campaigns that have reshaped how our Chamber serves this growing, dynamic community.

Before chamber life, I worked in marketing, franchising, software, manufacturing, and higher education—most notably spending eight years as Director of Marketing for Chicken Salad Chick, helping grow the brand from a small startup to 160+ locations across the country. That experience shaped how I lead today: with an entrepreneurial mindset, a bias for action, and an obsession with delivering real results.

I’ve been honored to participate in national leadership programs like the U.S. Chamber’s Business Leads Fellowship, ACCE’s Economic Mobility Fellowship, and the Alabama Leadership Initiative. Locally, I am a graduate of 20 under 40 and Leadership Lee County. I’m also proud to hold the IOM designation from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management. In a few weeks, I hope to add "CCE" (Certified Chamber Executive) to that list.

But here’s what really drives me: I believe leadership is about energy, not ego. I want to work with people who show up, give 110%, and genuinely care—about the work, about the mission, and about each other. I lead with high standards, a strategic mind, and a full heart. What you see is what you get - authenticity, vulnerability the real me.

Originally from Illinois, I proudly call Opelika, Alabama home. I followed love to the South when my husband Todd chose Auburn University after his military career, and we’ve planted deep roots here ever since. I'm a woman of strong faith, an avid reader, pilates-goer, former drag racer, and die-hard Auburn Tigers fan, and proud Green Bay Packers shareholder (Go Pack Go!). 

After the Lord, I love my husband most of all, and our new puppy Liberty!

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Rachel J.

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Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Rachel J.'s LinkedIn Performance

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