About · Erick Kagai

Your Shopify store has problems you can see — and ones you can't. I find both.

Six years on Shopify, the last three and a half at Fuelmade — a respected Shopify Plus agency in North America. Independent since March 2025. I work with two or three Shopify Plus brands at a time.

In Shopify since
2019
Projects delivered
100+
Five-star reviews
30+
Typical engagement
2–12 weeks
01

Humble

I've shipped enough to know what I don't know. I'll ask questions before quoting, and tell you when something is outside my lane — there are problems I'm not the right person for.

In practice → 30-min diagnostic before any estimate
02

Caring

Your store pays your team. I think about it that way. That means: clear hand-off documentation, 30 days of post-launch support included, and refusing to overscope when a smaller fix would do.

In practice → Less work when less work is right
03

Honest

I quote what I believe the work costs, even when it's awkwardly low. I won't sell you migration if a theme tune-up does the job. And if I miss an estimate, you hear about it on day three, not at invoice time.

The longer story

I started full-time on Shopify in 2020 — first independently, then as a Shopify Plus Theme Developer at Fuelmade from June 2021 to February 2025. Three and a half years inside a respected Plus agency, shipping themes with custom calculators, bespoke ordering processes, and complex Shopify Scripts. I led Plus theme builds with custom calculators, bespoke ordering processes, and complex Shopify Scripts.

Since March 2025 I've been independent. Not because Fuelmade was bad — they were generous teachers — but because I wanted the merchant relationship to be direct. No PM layer, no scope translation, no surprise on either end. One developer, one merchant, one decision-maker on each side.

I work with two or three Shopify Plus brands at a time. Engagements run from a one-week diagnostic to a six-month rebuild. I write production Liquid and JavaScript myself; I don't subcontract code. If you hire me, the person who answers your email is the person who pushes the commit.

I work mornings on EAT, which overlaps with European afternoons and the start of the US east-coast day. Member of Shop Dev Alliance and a verified freelancer on Shop Experts — both vetted communities for independent Shopify developers.

Shopify timeline

Mar 2025 — Now
Independent Shopify Plus consultant · kagai.me
Direct engagements with two to three merchants at a time. Performance audits, structured data and Google Merchant Center, custom apps, theme work, integration architecture — and the occasional honest "you don't need this" conversation.
Jun 2021 — Feb 2025
Shopify & Shopify Plus Theme Developer · Fuelmade
Three and a half years inside a respected Shopify Plus agency in North America. Plus theme work with custom calculators, bespoke ordering processes, and complex Shopify Scripts. Engagements included custom calculators, bespoke ordering modules, drawer-cart UX with free-gift / upsell flows, and complex Scripts work.
Jan 2020 — May 2021
Freelance Shopify Theme Developer · Remote
Translating Figma mockups into high-converting Shopify themes. Notable build: a virtual try-on storefront app and a "find your perfect frame" quiz feature for an eyewear merchant.
Honest · the unflattering bit

What I'm not good at, and won't pretend to be.

Every consulting site has a "what we do" list. Almost none have a "what we don't" list. Here's mine. If your project is mostly one of these, I'll tell you on the first call and recommend someone better suited.

  • Brand identity and visual design from scratch

    I can implement a designer's vision faithfully and I have opinions on type and spacing. I am not the person to invent your brand system. If you don't have a designer yet, that's the first hire — not me.

    Refer to → independent designers in my network
  • Marketing strategy, paid acquisition, conversion-rate hacks

    I'll build the page that converts well. I won't tell you how to run Meta ads or what your email cadence should be. The merchants I work best with already have a marketing function (in-house or agency) that I support, not replace.

    Refer to → growth specialists; I have a few I trust
  • Headless / custom storefronts on Hydrogen, Next, or Remix

    I've explored them at Fuelmade. I respect them. I also believe 90% of established Shopify brands don't need them, and I'd rather spend your budget on a beautifully-built theme than on a stack you'll regret in eighteen months. If you're sure you need headless, hire someone who builds them weekly.

    Refer to → Hydrogen specialist agencies on request
  • Enterprise replatforming with hard deadlines

    Solo work doesn't suit a six-week migration with a thirty-person stakeholder list. Get an agency. I can be a useful second pair of eyes during planning, but I shouldn't be your delivery team.

    Refer to → Fuelmade and a couple of others