Why Shopify Brands Break When They Enter Retail (And How to Fix It)

Paul Tittel and Chris Brunelli, founders of Surpass, explains on OPS Unfiltered why Shopify-native brands often break when transitioning from D2C "cowboy" freedom to the rigid, structured world of retail wholesale. They expose the "Copy and Paste Olympics" that plagues brands trying to jerry-rig D2C tech for EDI requirements, leading to costly chargebacks and operational gridlock. By pulling back the curtain on the predatory "Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt" tactics used by legacy incumbents, Paul and Chris provide a roadmap for seven-figure brands to automate their wholesale distribution using modern architecture. Meet Paul Tittel Paul Tittel is the Founder of Surpass and a veteran supply chain strategist who has spent his career navigating the complexities of procurement and logistics. After identifying a massive gap in how CPG and manufacturing brands handle wholesale data, he launched Surpass to replace manual "web forms" and legacy tech debt with modern, automated architecture. Paul’s mission is to make EDI portable and transparent, helping brands move away from restrictive incumbents and toward resilient, scalable systems of record.Meet Chris BrunelliChris Brunelli is the Co-Founder of Surpass and a "sales ninja" with over 25 years of experience in the EDI and go-to-market space. He specializes in helping high-growth brands navigate the high-stakes world of retail distribution, exposing the misinformation and predatory contracts that often trap emerging founders. Chris is an advocate for "tech-first" fulfillment, empowering brands to leverage modern tools and AI to compete head-to-head with legacy giants.