Mission-Driven Ecommerce: What Building a Store Taught Me About Systems, Community, and Becoming an Operator

What if your online store could do more than sell products—what if it could build community, fund purpose, and outlive your direct involvement?

At twenty-five, Kenny Kane turned a single $20 t-shirt into a six-figure ecommerce operation that funded programs, sparked conversations across the country, and redefined what a nonprofit could build. Mission-Driven Ecommerce is the story of how he did it—and the framework for anyone who wants to create sustainable, human-centered commerce.

Through real-world lessons from his years running the Stupid Cancer store, Kane shows how to design systems that multiply your effectiveness, connect deeply with your audience, and build something that lasts. Along the way, he reveals how to turn customers into community, automate without losing authenticity, and translate operational discipline into lasting impact.

Whether you’re a founder, nonprofit leader, or solopreneur, this book gives you a blueprint for sustainable growth—rooted in empathy, powered by technology, and grounded in purpose.

You’ll learn how to:

• Build ecommerce systems that scale without burning out

• Automate routine work so you can focus on creative and strategic growth

• Turn transactions into relationships and customers into advocates

• Create a brand people are proud to represent

• Future-proof your operation by documenting and delegating effectively

More than a playbook, Mission-Driven Ecommerce is a reminder that the real product of building something meaningful isn’t just revenue—it’s resilience, community, and the operator you become in the process.