Paul Ryazanov recently sat down with WebsitePlanet for an in-depth interview about MageCloud, ecommerce platform selection, and what it really takes to help businesses grow online. The conversation covered everything from our founding story to how we approach store audits and migrations.
I wanted to share some of the key themes from that conversation here, because the questions they asked are the same ones I hear from founders and business owners every week.
How MageCloud Started — and Why We Pivoted
MageCloud was founded with a clear vision: bring the flexibility of open-source ecommerce into the cloud and make it easier to launch and manage Magento-based stores. Our inspiration came from Magento Go, which was Magento’s attempt to compete with Shopify by offering a hosted solution. When Magento Go was discontinued, we saw an opportunity to revive and evolve that concept.
However, the early release of Magento 2.0 presented real challenges. It was launched prematurely and required a lot of post-release work. After about a year, we made a strategic decision to shift toward consulting services — and that pivot allowed us to really understand what merchants actually need.
How to Choose the Right Ecommerce Platform
One thing I see constantly is agencies recommending the same platform to every client, regardless of what the business actually needs. That is not how we work. At MageCloud, we have been early Magento adopters for about 10 years, but we expanded into Shopify and WooCommerce because the ecosystem changed — and businesses needed different solutions.
The short version: Shopify is great for B2C stores with relatively flat catalogues. WooCommerce works well for smaller catalogues where the owner wants flexibility. Magento is best suited for larger operations with complex B2B requirements, advanced customer groups, or heavy customisation needs.
At the end of the day, customers visiting your site do not care what platform it is built on. What matters is that the platform fits the business requirements.
What Our Store Audits Look Like
When we audit a store, we do not just hand over a PDF with slides. We record a personalised video walkthrough where I or someone from my team goes through the site and gives practical, experience-based insights. We use our own “conversion patterns” framework — a system for what features and elements should exist on every high-converting page.
We compare the current setup against that framework and provide specific, actionable suggestions. If the client wants a deeper audit, we go data-driven with Google Analytics, Search Console, or heat-mapping tools.
And sometimes we find that a client’s store is already performing well. In those cases, we say it. I would rather be honest than take money for work that is not needed.
Success Stories That Matter
One story I shared in the interview is about AELeisure, a UK company selling caravan awnings and outdoor gear. When they came to us, they were making £5,000 per month from their website. We did not rush into a redesign. We started small, prioritised key improvements, and built momentum over time. Four years later, they are generating over £400,000 per month in online sales, and their team has grown from 9 to 36 employees.
That is the kind of impact I care about. Not just revenue numbers, but jobs created and families supported.
My Golden Rule
I shared something in this interview that I believe deeply: give advice like you are giving it to your mum. I would rather lose a deal than recommend something I do not believe in. My name is everything to me.
You can read the full interview on WebsitePlanet for the complete conversation about platform migrations, audit processes, and more success stories from the businesses we work with.
Why I Became a GrowthMentor — and What I Help Founders With — how I bring the same platform selection and audit expertise to founders through mentoring on GrowthMentor.
Building Ecommerce Camp — Why I Founded a Community for Ecommerce Founders — the community I built to help ecommerce founders access the kind of practitioner knowledge covered in this interview.