Commence Studio

What Commence Studio does

Commence Studio is a privately held, founder-owned brand and commerce agency founded in 2014 in Reno, Nevada, operating with a deliberately flat team of approximately twelve people. The firm serves growth-stage brands typically in the $5-50M revenue range, delivering integrated strategy and engineering engagements across Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Brand Support (monthly retainer), Shopify Plus storefront builds, Unified Commerce that connects B2B and DTC on one catalog and checkout, Web & Editorial on WordPress, SEO & Content, and Lifecycle & CRO on Klaviyo. A core differentiator is the unification of brand strategists, designers, and developers under one team with one north-star metric, replacing fragmented agency relationships that growth-stage brands typically accumulate. The studio is an active Shopify Plus Partner, was accepted into the invite-only Shopify Theme Accelerator in 2022, and operates a productized diagnostic called Shopify Blueprint at a $3,500 fixed price. A sister company, Commence Commerce, distributes the proprietary Praise Shopify theme via the Shopify Theme Marketplace. Reported scale metrics include 350+ brands served, 63 documented case studies, a 3,000+ subscriber newsletter called 'The Brief', a 9.6/10 client NPS, and a combined 5.0-star rating across 47 Clutch and Google reviews. The company has operated without institutional venture or private equity capital and shows no funding rounds, acquisitions, or executive turnover in source materials.

Name

Commence Studio

Legal name

Commence Studio

Website

https://commence.studio

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Commence Studio is a Reno-based brand and commerce agency of about 12 people serving growth-stage brands with integrated strategy, design, and Shopify Plus engineering, including unified B2B/DTC commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Brand & Commerce Agency Services

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

akta.pro primary industry

Content Studio & Creative Resourcing (In-house/Embedded Teams) (BPAFAIAJ)

Keywords

• Shopify Plus development
• Brand identity design
• Unified commerce services
• Brand strategy consulting
• E-commerce implementation

Headquarters

HQ city

Reno

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Project-Based Professional Services: Fixed-scope brand and commerce implementation projects including brand strategy, brand identity, Shopify Plus development, web/editorial, SEO/content, and lifecycle/CRO services. Engagements range from brand refreshes to full unified commerce builds.
2. Monthly Retainers: Ongoing Brand Support retainer engagements providing continuous content and creative work. Clients receive ongoing design partnership with shared KPIs and quarterly reviews.
3. Shopify Blueprint Diagnostic: Fixed-price 14-day strategic diagnostic delivering store audit, brand architecture review, technical assessment, SEO analysis, roadmap, and financial case. Credited toward implementation if engagement proceeds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Commence Studio is a brand and commerce agency that builds unified commerce systems on Shopify Plus for growth-stage brands. It delivers brand strategy, brand identity, Shopify Plus storefront development, lifecycle/CRO, SEO/content, and ongoing creative retainers as integrated engagements led by a single cross-functional team. A productized 14-day Shopify Blueprint diagnostic serves as the entry point into larger implementation and retainer work.

Product overview

Commence Studio is a brand and commerce agency offering integrated services rather than a unified software product. The core offering is Unified Commerce on Shopify Plus, which connects B2B, DTC, brand, and storefront into one system. Supporting service modules include Brand Strategy, Brand Identity, Brand Support (retainer-based creative), Web & Editorial (WordPress), SEO & Content, and Lifecycle & CRO (Klaviyo email/SMS flows). The agency also offers a productized diagnostic service called Shopify Blueprint — a 14-day fixed-price audit delivering a prioritized roadmap with financial modeling. The studio specializes exclusively in Shopify Plus implementations and does not offer standalone software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Praise: An off-the-shelf Shopify theme developed by Commence Studio's sister company, Commence Commerce, designed for CPG brands looking for a quick and efficient way to launch their online stores.

Products and services

• Unified Commerce Primary service connecting B2B, DTC, brand, and storefront into one integrated commerce system on Shopify Plus. One catalog, one checkout, one customer record with B2B and DTC connected on Shopify. For growth-stage brands seeking to replace fragmented agency relationships.
• Shopify Plus

Quantifiable outcome

• +155.5% Add to carts, +92.7% First-time purchasers (Sorella Apothecary)
• +17 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Commence CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024Sister company that developed the Praise Shopify theme. Commence Commerce focuses on theme development and marketplace presence while Commence Studio handles full-service brand and commerce implementations. The Praise theme is available on Shopify Theme Marketplace for brands seeking a quicker starting point.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationActive Shopify Plus Partner with 10+ successful deployments of their own development stores. Accepted into invite-only Shopify Theme Accelerator program. Theme offerings available in Shopify Theme Marketplace. Primary platform for all commerce implementations.
• KlaviyocoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary recommended email and SMS marketing platform for lifecycle and CRM implementations. Preferred tool for email marketing, automation flows (welcome, abandoned cart, win-back), and SMS campaigns. Recommended as part of best website stack alongside Shopify for ecommerce companies.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Swanky: Shopify Plus agency combining custom development with brand and growth services for scaling DTC brands. Comparable platform focus and full-funnel service set, with a similar emphasis on conversion-led outcomes.
• Smith & Diction: Small brand strategy and Shopify design studio serving growth-stage DTC brands. Directly comparable on boutique size, integrated brand+commerce offering, and positioning around Shopify as a primary platform.
• WeMakeWebsites: Shopify Plus Partner agency with deep custom theme and commerce development capabilities. Comparable on platform specialization and emphasis on engineering-led commerce builds for growth-stage brands.
• Tinloof: Shopify Plus development agency delivering custom storefronts and integrated brand work for DTC and B2B brands. Comparable to Commence on platform exclusivity, technical depth, and growth-stage client focus.
• Envisionit: Mid-sized brand and commerce agency with strong Shopify Plus practice and integrated strategy-to-launch offerings. Directly comparable to Commence on service mix, Shopify Plus specialization, and growth-stage merchant focus.
• Lustrous: Shopify Plus design and development agency serving DTC and B2B brands with custom theme and lifecycle work. Comparable on platform specialization and growth-stage client focus.
• Diagram: Canadian Shopify Plus agency offering brand strategy, design, and commerce engineering for growth-stage merchants. Closely comparable to Commence on platform specialization, integrated brand-plus-engineering model, and mid-market client profile.

Emerging players

• Pixel Union: Shopify theme and design studio with products sold through the Shopify Theme Marketplace. Comparable as a Shopify ecosystem partner with adjacent theme-product model, though less focused on full-service engagements.

Broad incumbents

• Red Antler: Brand-led launch and growth agency known for category-defining brand work. Comparable integrated brand+commerce approach, though broader incumbent with larger footprint and higher-end enterprise clients.

Others

• Klaviyo Agency Partner Network: Klaviyo is Commence's primary email/SMS partner and a core dependency of its Lifecycle & CRO service. While not a direct competitor, it is the closest adjacent ecosystem participant whose partner program and roadmap materially shape Commence's service economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commence-studio
• Instagraminstagram.com/commence.studio
• Xx.com/laxaltandmciver
• Facebookfacebook.com/commence.studio

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Commence Studio