Hi. I’m Liv Montgomery, the eCommerce Gal.  I teach people and businesses how to develop a website and promote it to make money online. I also provide these services for those who would rather hire someone to do the job for them.

I do this work because there’s such a huge need in the marketplace for good quality websites, and yet it seems to be so hard to come by – especially at an affordable price. Don’t get me wrong – I have no problem with making a profit. I have a serious problem with price gouging, a common factor among typical web gurus.

My background stretches back in time, nearly to the dawn of the Internet. I first used a computer in the 1970s, playing chess online through a mainframe at the local college. I began marketing in the Tech Industry back in early 1983, doing co-op marketing for the sole Epson distributor in Southern California. (Let’s just say it was a hot job at a busy time.)  I’ve held positions of responsibility for a range of businesses, from some of the biggest software giants on the planet to some of the quirkiest start-ups you can think of, doing programming, design and marketing.  I’ve also had a successful career as an audio producer, engineer and sound designer – hence my love of the audio format. In recent years I’ve been a marketing consultant for the motivational speaking industry, an executive in a couple of start ups, and a small business marketing consultant. It’s been a great ride, and I’ve loved every grueling minute.

So a few years back when I got involved with a bickersome bunch of would-be software execs who couldn’t launch their way out a paper bag, one night I sat with my chin in my hand, fiddling with my keyboard and asking the Great Question that changed my life forever. How come I’m the only one getting any work done around here? I must admit that my work ethic is legion. But these guys were routinely undoing everything – I mean, everything – we accomplished, and then they wondered why we didn’t have any revenue. It was like a bad joke without a punchline.

More to the point, I then asked my blank computer monitor, why should I share the potential profits of a start-up company with these fellas who can’t even agree on where to meet for lunch? Whatever the fate of that business, I knew I had to strike out on my own. Mind you, I wish everyone in this industry the best of luck. But my experience with that start-up enterprise reassured me of two things: 1) I made the right choice to get out on my own; 2) It’s the folks who roll up their sleeves and do the work who are destined to survive, and even thrive online.

Since that time, I’ve launched more than a hundred sites, blogs and lenses. Some of them have done pretty well. I’ve gotten a handful of sites to the top of the search engine rankings, hitting No. 1 on Google several times on very competitive keywords. Right now I have about 40 sites with an Alexa traffic rank below 2 million, and a couple dozen sites in the top 1 million.

From a business sense, I didn’t have to become a marketing consultant, let alone a speaker and author. Sure, it’s a path to revenue – but there are other ways of doing that, other niches and other ways to be of service.  As you get to know me you’ll find that I joke around a lot, but I take the concept of Public Service very seriously. The only reason to be in business is to bring value to the marketplace. All remuneration – that is, income – stems from this one key factor. I want people to really get that – to know that I’m coming from a place of service.

Now, I’ve seen a real need in the online community for a place that people can go where they know they can trust the information they’re getting and the person whose delivering it to them. People need to get value – real value – for the money they spend online. The Internet is changing, and I see an emerging trend in eCommerce – a movement toward over-delivering on product, going the extra mile for customers, and providing service with integrity. It’s early yet, and I want to be a part of that movement. In fact, I mean to give it a BIG PUSH!

The eCommerce industry is really only about 15 years old – so young.  Compare that to fields like law, medicine, publishing, any of the trades, or even something as young as aeronautics or media. Our opportunity is far from over.  In fact, it’s just beginning, and I see us as pioneers on a new frontier.

I started eCommerceGal.com because making money in eCommerce is hard. I started this site for the entrepreneur, for the Small Business owner, for the single parent, and for the employee looking to break free from the daily grind. Your business needs to bring value to the marketplace. All revenue flows from this one concept. If you can do that – and do it intelligently – your path is made.

I’m here to help you realize your potential. I want to help you turn today’s dreams into tomorrow’s results. To your success!

Liv Montgomery
The eCommerce Gal
Seattle, Washington