How to Start Optimizing Your Company’s Revenue Growth

Executive Summary
Shopify Masters episode in which the host talks with Shizu Okusa, who left Goldman Sachs in 2013 to launch the fresh pressed juice brand Jrink, sold it in 2019, and then founded Apothekary, a brand of herbal products rooted in Japanese traditions. Shizu says she spent about a year traveling, including nine months on a farm in Mozambique, to reset from resume virtues toward eulogy virtues. She says the second business was designed around scalability: a shelf life of three years instead of three days, strong margins, shipping to 100 countries, and a remote team of about 55 people including about 20 who followed her from the first company. She says DTC is a channel, not a business model, and that her trading background helps with paid media. Shopify, which produces the show, is the sponsor named in the description. PARTIAL COVERAGE: the captions cover roughly the first 14 minutes of the 33 minute episode, so later topics are not summarized. All claims are Shizu's own and are not independently checked. Nothing here is medical, health, financial or legal advice, and product claims are the founder's description only.
Key Takeaways
A reset year
Shizu says she traveled for a year after Goldman, including nine months on a farm in Mozambique, to reset her life.
Resume versus eulogy virtues
She says on Wall Street she focused on resume virtues and lost sight of eulogy virtues.
Everything makes sense looking back
She says everything will make sense looking back but in the moment nothing ever makes sense.
Unlimited upside, protected downside
She says leaving Goldman was a trade with unlimited upside and a protected downside.
Three days versus three years
She says her first brand had a three day shelf life while Apothekary has a three year shelf life, which helped margins and scale.
People who followed her
She says about 20 people from her first company joined her at Apothekary, which has about 55 people and is fully remote.
DTC is a channel
She says DTC is a channel, not a business model, and to build the business you want to run.
The Conversation Breakdown
A reset year
⏱ Untimed topicShizu says she traveled for a year after Goldman, including nine months on a farm in Mozambique, to reset her life.
Resume versus eulogy virtues
⏱ Untimed topicShe says on Wall Street she focused on resume virtues and lost sight of eulogy virtues.
Everything makes sense looking back
⏱ Untimed topicShe says everything will make sense looking back but in the moment nothing ever makes sense.
Unlimited upside, protected downside
⏱ Untimed topicShe says leaving Goldman was a trade with unlimited upside and a protected downside.
Three days versus three years
⏱ Untimed topicShe says her first brand had a three day shelf life while Apothekary has a three year shelf life, which helped margins and scale.
People who followed her
⏱ Untimed topicShe says about 20 people from her first company joined her at Apothekary, which has about 55 people and is fully remote.
DTC is a channel
⏱ Untimed topicShe says DTC is a channel, not a business model, and to build the business you want to run.
Core Frameworks & Ideas
Unlimited upside, protected downside - Shizu's trade
Take risks where the downside is small.
Reverse engineer margins and shelf life - Shizu's second business
Design for scale before launch.
Resume versus eulogy virtues - Shizu's reset
Ask how you want to be known, not just what you do.
Actionable Next Steps
- ✓List the downside of a big career move and whether you can protect it.
- ✓Pick the part of your business that makes you resent it and design it out.
- ✓Ask yourself what your eulogy virtues would be.
- ✓Treat Shizu's business and wellness descriptions as her own, not medical or financial advice.
Notable Quotes
“everything will make sense looking back but in the moment nothing ever makes sense”
“unlimited upside but you protect your downside”
“that trade was the best trade of my life”
The One Thing to Remember
Shizu Okusa says her second business works because she designed it around scalability and longer shelf life, after a reset year that shifted her from resume virtues to eulogy virtues.