> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foundedbywomen.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Ava Monroe of The Ava Edit on Why Small Sellers Need Clarity Before Spending on More Tools - URL: https://www.foundedbywomen.org/women-who-lead/ava-monroe-of-the-ava-edit-on-why-small-sellers-need-clarity-before-spending-on-more-tools/ - Published: 2026-10-30T02:25:54.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-30T02:25:54.000Z - Author: Editorial team - Tags: Women Who Lead Ava Monroe is the founder of [The Ava Edit](https://payhip.com/AvaMonroeOfficial?ref=foundedbywomen.org), an ecommerce brand building practical tools for independent Etsy and Shopify sellers. She is developing Smart Store, an Etsy-first audit app that helps sellers see what needs fixing in their shop before they spend more on traffic, apps or outside services. In this Q&A, Ava shares what she saw small sellers struggling with, what she has learned about what to fix first, and the advice she would give to women starting an online shop today. Her perspective offers a clear-eyed take on why understanding your own store comes before buying another app, ad or expert, along with three simple questions worth asking before you spend a dollar. > Know a woman leader doing incredible work? The Founded by Women Awards are open for entries - founders, executives, professionals and changemakers alike. Showcase your story, gain visibility and connect with a community of leaders. 👉 [foundedbywomen.org/awards](https://www.foundedbywomen.org/awards/) --- ### Q: What problem did you see small Etsy and Shopify sellers struggling with that made you start building tools for them? One of the biggest things I noticed was how overwhelming it can be when you first open an online store. You're excited, you're trying to learn everything at once, and suddenly your inbox is full of people promising they can fix your store, bring you traffic and get you sales for a "small commission." That was my experience too. At first it sounds reasonable. Then one recommendation turns into another: you need this app, then another, and because so many start with a free trial, it doesn't feel like a big commitment. Then the payments start coming out and it adds up fast. Then you're told you need leads, so you pay someone for those. Then there's another service, another tool, another fee. I learned that the hard way. I was scammed out of thousands of dollars and, after spending all that money, I wasn't in any better position than when I started. In some ways I was worse off, because I still didn't have a clear understanding of what was actually wrong with the store or what needed to be fixed first. That experience is a big part of why I started building The Ava Edit. I wanted to create practical tools that help small sellers understand their own store before they start paying everyone else to tell them what they need. My goal is to give people clarity first: what's working, what isn't, what matters most and what they can realistically fix themselves. And if they do have to contact someone for something they can't fix, they'll know exactly what to ask for and what they're paying for. ### Q: What have you learned while developing Smart Store about what sellers actually need to fix first? The biggest lesson has been that most sellers don't need more tools first, they need clarity. It's easy to assume the answer is more traffic, more ads, another app or another expert. But if the basics of the store aren't strong, sending more people to it usually doesn't solve the real problem. What sellers often need to look at first are the fundamentals: whether their listings are clear, whether the pricing makes sense, whether shoppers understand the value quickly, whether there are trust signals, whether the store is easy to navigate, and whether the SEO and product information match what people are searching for. That's why Smart Store is built around auditing before adding more. The part I'm especially excited about is Ask Ava. I don't want sellers to run an audit, get a long list of issues and feel overwhelmed all over again. Ask Ava is designed to work like a personal ecommerce assistant inside the experience. If a seller doesn't understand something, they can ask for a plain-language explanation. If they only have an hour, they can ask what will make the biggest difference in that hour. If they're not sure what to tackle first, they can ask for a priority list based on what has already been found in their shop. Most small business owners are doing everything themselves, often around a job or family. They don't need another complicated dashboard that makes them feel behind. They need something that helps them stay organized and makes the next step feel manageable. So Smart Store isn't just about finding problems. It's about helping sellers understand them, prioritize them and work through them in a way that feels realistic. ### Q: What's one piece of advice you'd give to women starting an online shop today? Protect your clarity before you protect anyone else's opinion of what you "should" be doing. When you first start, everyone has an answer for you. Someone will tell you that you need ads. Someone else will say you need a new app, a funnel, a course, a designer, an SEO expert, a lead list, a coach or a complete rebrand. If you're already feeling unsure, it's very easy to mistake confidence for competence and urgency for opportunity. So before you spend a dollar, ask yourself three things: What exact problem am I trying to solve? How will I know if this actually worked? And can I explain, in my own words, why I'm paying for it? If you can't answer those questions, don't buy it yet. You do not need to know everything about ecommerce, but you do need enough understanding of your own business that nobody can scare you into thinking every problem needs another purchase. Learn your numbers. Understand what your customers are seeing. Know where people are dropping off. And don't confuse spending money with making progress. Sometimes the strongest thing you can do is slow down, fix one clear problem well, and give yourself time to see the result before adding anything else. I'd also tell women to trust themselves more than they think they're allowed to. You can ask for help without handing over your judgment. You can learn from experts without becoming dependent on them. You can say "I don't understand this yet" without letting someone use that uncertainty against you. The goal isn't to do everything alone. The goal is to stay informed enough that every decision is still yours. > Are you a woman leader with an inspiring story? Founded by Women elevates the voices of women making an impact. > Breaking barriers or paving the way for others? We'd love to feature you. Get in touch! 👉 [hi@foundedbywomen.org](mailto:hi@foundedbywomen.org)