Start Scale Succeed: Recent Episodes
Nicole Higgins
Want to start, scale and succeed in your product business? Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit. In this weekly business podcast, Nicole is here to empower you to "start, scale and succeed" by providing you with inspiration, motivation and insight from entrepreneurs and experts to help you in the retail industry.
This podcast includes tips, tactics and conversations that you can learn from and implement into your own business, from start up entrepreneurs that have just launched to multi million pound businesses. With tips from experts and how to’s to help your business grow to enable you to live the life you crave. From side hustle to stock market and everything in between.
Start listening and subscribe now
Approximately 29% of entrepreneurs are neurodivergent, revealing a strong link between neurodiversity and entrepreneurial drive.
In Ep 167 Nicole Chats with Dr Lauren Breese experienced Clinical Psychologist and founder of & Psychology and Co-founder of The neurodiversity practice along with other co-founders Dr. Siobhan Higgins and Dr Jo Muelller
Together, they explore ADHD symptoms, varying diagnoses and tips and strategies for Neurodivergent Entrepreneurs.
Lauren discusses why awareness and reduced stigma have led to more adult ADHD diagnoses, rather than an increase in cases. They touch on the unique challenges faced by women with ADHD, particularly concerning reproductive cycles, and the dual responsibilities of entrepreneurship and family.
Listeners will gain valuable tips for managing ADHD through mindfulness, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and practical strategies for maintaining focus and organisation. Lauren and Nicole also address workplace inclusivity, emphasising the importance of understanding and accommodating neurodiverse employees.
Some of the key areas discussed are
Understanding ADHD
ADHD and Burnout
Coping Strategies
Mindfulness and Emotional Awareness
Harnessing ADHD
Seeking Help
Assessments and Support
Inclusivity in the workplace for those diagnosed with ADHD
Guest Links
Dr Lauren Breese
https://andpsychology.com/about
https://www.theneurodiversitypractice.com/
Neuro Diversity in the Work place - checklist
https://www.theneurodiversitypractice.com/neuroinclusivity-checklist
Neuro Diversity for Parents https://www.theneurodiversitypractice.com/book-list-parents
Host
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
https://runwaytoresults.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
💡Listen to the start scale succeed podcast here for more tips to help you start and scale your product business
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/start-scale-succeed-podcast/
🔥 DON'T FORGET to follow me on instagram from lots more tips https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Watch on you tube
https://youtu.be/03Z8KkF18VE
With Black Friday just around the corner, I know you're probably gearing up for one of the biggest shopping events of the year.
To help you navigate this competitive landscape, I'm chatting with Anna Frapwell founder of Neon Digital Clicks and sponsor of the podcast. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the scene, these expert tips are sure to help you crush your sales goals.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. It's Never Too Late to Prepare Anna emphasises that even if you feel behind, it's never too late to start prepping for Black Friday. Whether it’s building your audience or strategising your ads, every bit of effort counts.
2. Understand Your Goals Before diving in, be clear about what you want to achieve. Is it clearing stock, acquiring new customers, or boosting lifetime customer value? Your goals will shape your strategy.
3. Customer Retention Ensure your Black Friday customers stick around by enhancing their post-purchase experience. Excellent customer service and targeted email marketing can turn one-time buyers into loyal fans.
4. Ad Strategy Insights Anna provides a treasure trove of advice on maximising your ad spend while navigating the competitive Black Friday landscape. From clear messaging to vibrant visuals, discover what works best.
5. Post-Purchase Strategy The sales don’t end with Black Friday. Utilise customer loyalty programs and nurtured email campaigns to keep the momentum going through the holiday season.
I’ve created a FREE Checklist & Guide for you to action before during & after Black Friday
https://nicolehigginsthebuyerandretailcoach.lpages.co/black-fridayplanner/
Your black Friday Checklist PDF
HOST BIO
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
https://runwaytoresults.com/
Live shopping is set to hit £5 billion in the UK by 2025 with fashion and beauty being the key categories. But what converts and why should it be part of your marketing strategy. In todays episode of Podcast Start Scale Succeed I'm joined by Macdara Duncan International Director of Live Shopping Platform Sprii. https://sprii.io/
Key Highlights to help you understand what works in Live Shopping are below
Authenticity in Content
MacDara emphasizes the importance of maintaining authenticity in live streams, presenting an in-store experience that feels real and unpolished to viewers.
Campaign-Led Approach:
Discover the advantages of using themes or campaigns over discounts to attract and retain viewers during live streams.
Engaging Through Gamification:
Learn how to incorporate interactive elements like quizzes, raffles, and polls to keep your audience entertained and engaged.
Structure of Live Streams:
Get tips on structuring your live sessions effectively, typically lasting 45 minutes to an hour and featuring numerous interactive components.
Continuous Viewer Engagement:
Understand the necessity of repeating themes and products to cater to viewers joining at different times.
Production Quality Flexibility:
Explore the range of production qualities, from casual setups to professional environments, suitable for live streams.
Alternative Hosts:
Learn why it’s not always necessary for founders to host live streams themselves and how knowledgeable staff can be excellent hosts.
Content Reusability:
Discover strategies to repurpose live stream content for various promotional activities post-event.
High Conversion Rates:
Hear about the impressive conversion rates in live shopping, thanks to detailed and engaging presentations.
Engagement Over Audience Size:
Understand why a smaller, engaged audience can be more valuable than a larger, unengaged one.
Sprii Platform
https://sprii.io/
Learn about Sprii, a streamlined live shopping tool, and its role in enhancing live shopping experiences.
Host
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
https://runwaytoresults.com/
Ultimate Black Friday Strategy: How Brands Can Maximize Sales Before, During, and After
First off I want to say participating in Black Friday may not be right for you, you might not have enough margin or stock or it may not sit right from a sustainability or mass consumption point of view but if you have decided to join the countless brands that will be discounting over BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) Then this episode is for you where I will share tips and tactics to help you before during and after Black Friday.
Some of the areas I chat about today
Setting Clear Goals & KPI’s for Black Friday
How to Plan your promotions and what promotions work.
Optimizing your website and email marketing.
Black Friday can be a whirlwind, but with the right preparation and strategies, it’s a huge opportunity for your business. Focus on planning ahead, executing smoothly during the rush, and following up afterward to keep the momentum going.
I’ve created a FREE Checklist & Guide for you to action before during & after Black Friday
https://nicolehigginsthebuyerandretailcoach.lpages.co/black-fridayplanner/
Your black FRiday Checklist PDF
Host
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
https://runwaytoresults.com/
I'm all for advice that is easy to understand and implement and was delighted to chat with Alice Benham author of the recently released The Digital Marketing Handbook for this weeks podcast
Some of the areas we chat about
Why Marketing Strategies Often Feel Overwhelming (00:03:16):
- The pitfalls of jargon-filled advice and the importance of understanding the core elements of a strategy.
- Marketing strategy simplified: plan with an end goal in mind.
Three Steps to Building a Marketing Strategy (00:05:28):
- Clarity
: Determine your marketing goals, brand identity, and target audience. - Planning
: Decide where and how to show up online, and create relevant content. - Implementation
: Establish processes, timelines, and methods to execute and measure your strategy.
Setting Financial and Personal Goals (00:07:40):
- Integrating financial targets and personal lifestyle goals into your overall marketing strategy.
- Using marketing as a tool to achieve both business success and personal fulfilment.
Standing Out and Connecting with Consumers (00:12:13):
- Understanding what makes your brand unique through customer feedback and storytelling.
- Case studies of successful product businesses, like Partner in Wine and Pearl Cosmetics.
Identifying and Understanding Your Target Audience (00:17:35):
- The difference between demographic and psychographic targeting.
- The importance of constant learning and adapting based on consumer behaviour and feedback.
Reviewing and Adjusting Your Marketing Strategy (00:20:13):
- The right intervals for evaluating and tweaking your marketing strategy.
Buy the digital Marketing Handbook
https://amzn.eu/d/iNK80CV
Find out more about Alice Benham
https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/alice_benham/
https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/about
Host
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
https://glowwithus.neondigitalclicks.co.uk/runway-to-results-page681429
How about growing to 50K followers in 6 months, well that's just what this weeks guest did Martha Keith Founder of stationery brand Martha Brook London and her new account Business Secrets Club where Martha shares great tips and advice for small businesses particularly focusing on social media.
I recently had the pleasure of recording this episode Live on the stage at Top Drawer and it was so great to get the interaction and questions from the audience, (you can watch the full episode on You tube on the link below)
We chatted about growing your business on Instagram, and connecting with your customers along with driving sales on the Instagram platform.
For real tangible advice hear how you can
Create "bingeable" content that leaves followers coming back for more
Understand what content pillars are and how to use them effectively for your brand
What trends are working now on Instagram
Understand what strategies are most effective for driving growth and sales
Give value to your audience and what that actually looks like in practice.
Include storytelling in your business.
Adapt to the changing algorithm to enhance your content's reach and visibility
Guest
Martha Keith. Founder, Martha Brook and Business Secrets Club
Martha is the founder and CEO of award-winning stationery brand Martha Brook. After her own experiences growing a business, she now helps and advises other entrepreneurs and start-ups. She is a member of the British Library Advisory Council and is Ambassador for their Business & IP Centre. In 2024 she founded Business Secrets Club, growing it to a community of 50K in six months. Last year she was awarded Consumer Goods Businesswomen of the Year at the Great British Businesswomen Awards.
https://www.instagram.com/marthabrookldn
https://www.instagram.com/businesssecretsclub/
https://www.businesssecretsclub.com/
https://www.marthabrook.com/
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams. She now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?
This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
https://glowwithus.neondigitalclicks.co.uk/runway-to-results-page681429
Anxiety, Self-doubt and lack of confidence are all things as business founders we can experience. Today’s episode of start scale succeed I chat with Life Coach, published Author & NLP Practitioner Holly Matthews about Finding your Confidence.
Holly has just released her new book Find your confidence (see link below)
She shares tips and tactics to help build and create confidence in several different situations
Areas we chat about in the podcast are
Building Confidence:
Combining external body language techniques with internal mindset work.
'Fake it till you make it' approach while working on internal self-esteem.
Developing self-belief through continued efforts and tools.
Visualization and Scripting:
Regular practice of visualization, especially before bed.
Importance of scripting for public speaking and confidence in various scenarios.
Anchoring Techniques:
Methods like pressing fingers together to reinforce positivity and reduce anxiety, particularly effective for public speaking.
Real-life Examples and Practical Tips:
Holly shares her TED Talk experience and the role of visualization and anchoring in overcoming last-minute challenges.
Handling Anxiety and Mindset Shifts:
Techniques like breathwork, meditation, physical exercise, and EFT tapping for managing anxiety.
Recognizing and challenging limiting beliefs through positive affirmations and real-time interventions.
Setting Boundaries:
Differentiating personal and business boundaries to maintain balance.
Assertiveness in boundary enforcement to avoid passive or aggressive behaviours.
Appearance and Self-Image:
Addressing internalized critical messaging about appearance affecting public confidence.
Striving for a balanced and authentic online presence.
Moving from self-critique to neutrality and acceptance.
Self-Compassion and Overcoming Negative Thoughts:
Importance of challenging negative, fear-based stories and reframing failures with compassionate self-talk.
Techniques for real-time thought interruption and adjusting self-perception.
Guest Bio
Holly Matthews
Holly is a qualified Life Coach, NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist and Intuitive Psychology Coach. She has coached thousands of people across the world (across all walks of life, from Mums on the school run to Brit winning pop stars).
Her debut book The Happy Me Project- A no nonsense guide to self development won Health and Wellbeing Magazines best wellbeing book of 2022 and hit number #1 on Amazon the day it released.
Holly’s relatable and raw approach to self development has her teaching people how to feel ‘more happy and less crappy’ in a way that reaches those that never thought ‘self development’ would be for them.
Www.iamhollymatthews.com
Buy Find your Confidence https://amzn.eu/d/09gFk3Hy
Host
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
If you are a product business up to 70% of your yearly turnover can come during Q4, I chat with previous Guest Hannah Spicer on how you can ensure you are getting the most out of your emails to drive your sales.
Areas we chat about
Approaching Black Friday and deciding on your sales & promotional strategy for the quarter
Reviewing what worked the previous year, testing and warming up your email list
Key Metrics to track and how they might be slightly different this time of year.
Reviewing your segmentation
Frequency and timing of emails
Post Black Friday & Christmas strategies
Emerging trends in Email Marketing
Emailing on Christmas Day what works and what doesn't
Retaining new customers gained during the Christmas season and transforming them into loyal repeat buyers
Guest Bio
Hannah Spicer is a Klayviyo email marketing expert having worked with Premium and Luxury ecommerce brands on email marketing from 2005. With 20 years experience consulting & supporting businesses in the fashion beauty and lifestyle sector to maximise their own email marketing
Listen to Hannah previous episode https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mastering-email-marketing-for-your-business-with/id1577771045?i=1000647463616
https://www.instagram.com/hannahspicer_consulting/
https://www.hspicerconsulting.com/
Host
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
Removing friction and making it easier for your customers to buy is key if you have a product business. This weeks episode I chat with Mel Eilers a Many chat expert where we talk about Chat funnels and why you should be using them and how they can benefit your business
Benefits of Using Manychat
- Mel breaks down what Manychat is and its compliance with Meta, highlighting its approval and the rules to abide by.
Use Cases and Examples
- Nicole and Mel discuss successful use cases of Manychat, including Instagram Live events and story mentions that drive engagement and increase sales.
Components of a Chat Funnel:
- Key components are discussed, such as personalization, the importance of re-engagement and pivoting conversations to maintain customer interest.
Integration with Existing Strategies
- Mel provides insights on how to integrate Manychat with your existing marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement and conversion rates.
Analytics and Measuring Success
- The importance of analytics in Manychat and how brands can track the effectiveness of their chat funnels to optimize their strategies.
Preparing for High-Traffic Seasons:
- Mel discusses the importance of list-building and strategic planning using Manychat, especially heading into high-traffic sales periods like Black Friday.
Guest Mel Eilers
The “Manychat queen” – Mel Eilers is a Manychat Messenger Expert and Agency Partner who works with coaches, personal brands and retailers to help them maximise their sales and leads from Instagram, all whilst freeing up the to-do list and saving time in the DMs.
Mel helps brands personalise their connection with followers through Manychat automations, helping to boost reach and engagement, leading to higher conversion rates through a seamless customer journey.
She has shared the online stage with Amy Porterfield and Michael Hyatt at the Rise Above Summit; spoken on the Chat Marketing Podcast and also delivered various masterclasses and webinars.
Mel is recognised as a go-to expert for Manychat, building automations for clients such as online business coach Teresa Heath-Waring, mentoring site Photography Farm and the Resilient Retail Coach, Catherine Erdly.
IG: https://www.instagram.com/socially_sound/
LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanieeilers/
Website: www.sociallysound.co.uk
Email: mel@sociallysound.co.uk
Freebie: Manychat Starter Kit - https://sociallysound.thrivecart.com/ig-chat-funnels-starter-kit/
NEW: Manychat Beta Course
https://sociallysound.thrivecart.com/manychat-ig-accelerator/
Host
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
Today's episode of start scale succeed delves into the intriguing world of crowdfunding with our special guest, Danielle Wallington, the visionary founder of Flock here,
Join us as Danielle reveals her journey of raising over £20,000 in just over 30 days through crowdfunding. Discover how she turned her idea, stemming from co-working meetups and the need for recommended workspaces for women, into a successfully funded project.
In this episode, we unpack the essentials of launching a crowdfunding campaign, including setting precise funding targets, choosing the right crowdfunding model, and crafting a strategic marketing plan.
Danielle provides insights into
Her top tips for crowdfunding
The importance of mindset and positivity
Setting funding targets
Planning the campaign.
Post campaign
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner looking to explore crowdfunding, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you achieve your fundraising goals.
Guest
Danielle Wallington is the founder of Flck here a coworking and community app, she is a business mentor & tech founder
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-wallington-22a13234/
https://www.instagram.com/flock_here
/https://www.instagram.com/danielle_wallington_/
Host
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
Head to www.runwaytoresults.com to get the journey started and prepare your business for take-off!
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
With a low barrier to entry candle brands are an easy product to get started with as a business, but should you? and what do you need to make it a success, I chat with Samantha Johnson who tells it how it is in the candle industry what works and what doesn't and what you need to know.
We chat about
Brand Identity:
- The importance of knowing what your brand is and is not.
Pricing and Regulations:
-
Accurate product pricing to reflect true labour.
-
Heavy regulation in the candle industry, emphasizing the need for knowledgeable operational staff.
Market Insights
Trends in fragrance demand in Europe focusing on natural and herbal scents.
- The consumer’s growing awareness and preference for branded experiences.
Business Challenges
-
The high cost and extended timeframes in product development.
-
Challenges of gaining traction in a saturated market.
-
Importance of a strong wholesale network and investment in branding and marketing.
Operational Tips:
-
Necessity for a solid operational person to navigate complex regulations.
-
Tactical approaches towards creating a commercial product range.
Guest Samantha Johnson
Retail CMO turned manufacturing Managing Director and co founder
Bringing making home to the North West of England via artisan production
Samantha manufactures interiors products, homewares and candles on a bespoke, private label and branded basis.
https://www.avalonhome.co.uk
/https://pintailcandles.co.uk/
Host
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
Head to www.runwaytoresults.com to get the journey started and prepare your business for take-off!
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Depending on your product type between 25-50% of your turnover can come from Q4 (Oct- Dec) and I want you to have the best sales this year and to help get you more organised and reduce the overwhelm I've created a helpful guide and a detailed podcast taking you through steps that I would have used during my time working as a buyer for companies like M&S & Primark.
To get the Free guide check out the Link below or DM me the word Xmas on Instagram at the buyer and retail coach
Download the FREE Plannning your Q4 Guide here
https://nicolehigginsthebuyerandretailcoach.lpages.co/q4checklist/
Here are some of the steps I talk about in the guide and podcast
⭐ Reflect and Refine: Discover how to review and reflect on your past Q4 performance, utilizing lessons learned to shape a more successful strategy this year.
⭐ Inventory Excellence: Tips for selecting and stocking the right products, including the magic Pareto rule of having 80% of your revenue come from 20% of your stock.
⭐ Price Point Strategy: Understanding the Good, Better, and Best price points to cater to your diverse customer base effectively.
⭐ Operational Efficiency: From warehouse setup to customer service templates, get your logistics aligned for a seamless holiday season.
⭐ Marketing Mastery: Techniques to drive traffic, increase your average order value, and keep your audience engaged and shopping.
I've also created a comprehensive Q4 planning guide to accompany this episode! This guide serves as a checklist to keep you on track and ensure nothing gets overlooked as you prep for the busiest time of the year.
Host
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Download the FREE Plannning your Q4 Guide here
https://nicolehigginsthebuyerandretailcoach.lpages.co/q4checklist/
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store?This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, the agency dedicated to helping kids’ and family brands achieve explosive growth with high-performing digital marketing campaigns.
Neon’s new Runway to Results programme is a revolutionary paid-advertising service that will help you understand your brand’s true potential and reach the heights of success you dream of.
Over the course of 60 days, Neon’s expert team will test and optimise your Meta and Google ad accounts to establish your business KPIs and optimum Cost Per Acquisition.
At the end of the Runway period, they’ll analyse your data to establish what profitable scaling looks like and arm you with knowledge, confidence and a clear plan for the next phase of your growth.
If you’re ready to elevate your e-commerce game, Neon is the navigator you need on your flight deck.
Head to www.runwaytoresults.com to get the journey started and prepare your business for take-off!
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
In this conversation, I chat with Elle Williamson, a Shopify and Klaviyo expert, about how to keep sales coming in over the summer.
We discuss the myth that summer is a downtime for sales and emphasize the importance of not stopping marketing efforts during this time.
Elle advises planning ahead, updating the website, and utilizing email marketing to stay visible and engage customers.
We also discuss the use of apps like JudgeMe, ReferralCandy, and Gorgias to streamline processes and improve customer service. Elle shares her expertise and offers valuable tips for Shopify e-commerce owners.
-
Plan ahead and schedule content, even if you're taking some time off. Prepare emails and website updates in advance.
-
Maintain email frequency to stay visible. Continue sending 1 email per week.
-
Make emails short, sweet, and shoppable. Showcase products and make it easy to click through.
-
Check your automated flows are seasonal and working properly.
-
Use apps like Judge.me for reviews and Referral Candy for customer referrals.
-
Consider outsourcing customer service to a VA to handle inquiries while you're away.
Most importantly, don't go silent over summer! With some planning, you can keep revenue coming in and set yourself up for a successful Q4.
Guest Elle Williamson
https://www.theecommerceassistant.com/
https://www.instagram.com/theecommerceassistant/
-
Judge.me: https://apps.shopify.com/judgeme
-
Referral Candy: https://apps.shopify.com/referralcandy
-
Gorgias: https://apps.shopify.com/gorgias
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Steph Douglas is the founder of personalised gifting company Don't Buy Her Flowers. Established in 2014 initially to cater to new mums the brand grew beyond it's initial idea and now creates thoughtful gifting for all occasions.
Steph chats about her journey as a business owner from first hires to investment with everything else in between,
We chat about
The growth of the brand
The Importance of Multiple Revenue Streams
Marketing Challenges in a Noisy Space
Building a Strong and Supportive Team
Balancing the Needs of the Team and the Business
Balancing Work and Family
Staying Focused and Motivated
Stephs advice for those starting a business Starting a Business
Steph Douglas
https://www.dontbuyherflowers.com/
https://www.instagram.com/steph_dontbuyherflowers/
https://www.instagram.com/dontbuyherflowers/
Host
Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
💡Listen to the start scale succeed podcast here for more tips to help you start and scale your product business
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/start-scale-succeed/id1577771045
🔥 DON'T FORGET to follow me on instagram from lots more tips https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
❤️ Enjoyed this video? Subscribe to our you tube channel and hit the notification bell to never miss a new video — and let us know what how-tos you’d like to see next in the comments! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGmiMajoKec
Sign up to the newsletter and get support straight to your inbox https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
When you are approaching suppliers for your product business what do they want from you.
What are the red flags when deciding which suppliers to work with for your fashion brand or product start up.
We answer these and much more in Ep 153 of start scale succeed I chat with Sheredene Rose Ex head of design for Monsoon and co-founder of Kappas India a supply and manufacturing company for fashion garments
Tips for Working with Suppliers:
-
Key questions to ask regarding product fit, social compliance, and ethical practices.sampling and MOQ
-
Importance of early assessment of communication and payment terms.
Product Sampling Costs
- Insight into factory sampling costs being typically two to three times the bulk cost price or FOB price.
Informed Design Choices:
-
Importance of hit rates in sampling and order placements.
-
Caution against offering too many options and mismatched quantities without market demand research.
*Market Intelligence & Supplier Relations:
-
Necessity for clarity, understanding of pricing, and strong relationships.
-
Warning against unrealistic expectations and frequent design changes.
Guest Sheredene Rose
Sheredene shares her transition from a corporate design background to founding her own brands and a supply business in Delhi. Post-COVID, she and her partner Gagan pivoted from traditional retail to supporting online businesses, emphasizing the need for a clear product vision and well-thought presentation for success.
https://www.iislaandbird.com/shop/
www.kapaasindia.com
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
I get it, as a product business owner Linked In may be the last plate you want to spin so it’s potentially not really on your to do list, but this weeks episode of Start scale succeed I chat with Laurie Macpherson on how you can unlock it’s potential and reach your ideal clients and market weather that's a retailer, a journalist or your DTC customer.
Here are some of the topics we cover
Power of Human Stories:
Understand the importance of sharing personal stories and making human connections.
-Optimizing LinkedIn Profile
Get tips on creating an engaging LinkedIn profile to attract the right connections.
Creating Authentic Content
Find out the best practices for posting on LinkedIn and how to mix personal and business updates effectively.
Avoiding Common Mistakes
Discover the pitfalls to avoid in your LinkedIn strategy and how to personalize your approach.
Building Meaningful Relationships
Learn strategies to build relationships with journalists and other key players without cold DMs.
Guest
Laurie Macpherson
https://go.lauriemacpherson.com/SignupforLinkedInguidanceandprompts
https://www.lauriemacpherson.com/
https://www.instagram.com/_laurie_macpherson/
www.linkedin.com/in/lauriemac
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Watch the full episode on You tube
https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Renee created a bootstrapped business with just £2500 which has grown into a renowned swimwear brand
If you had said that you wanted to create a business that gave you the freedom to travel and create a nomadic lifestyle, a product business wouldn’t have been the top of my list but Renee has just done that.
In this weeks episode we chat about
Rushing and Rapid Expansion Renee talks about the pitfalls of expanding too quickly and the mistakes that came from rushing important decisions.Challenges in International Markets Insights into launching in different countries differences in consumer behavior and trends that required unique marketing strategies.Stockholding and Product Suitability: Discussion on the importance of understanding stock needs and ensuring product suitability for different regions.Current Challenges The hurdles Ode & Rae faces as it continues to grow, including managing influencer partnerships and finding the right fit for the team that is brought into the business Brand Perception and Key Styles: Realizing the importance of focusing on a few key styles rather than chasing trends continuously.Social Media Presence Renee's decision to distance herself from the brand's social media, and the reasons behind this choice including future business exit strategy and personal imposter syndrome. Investment Considerations Her experiences with angel investment and the contemplation of further rounds, balancing external investment with her vision for the brand.
Guest
Renée Milner, Founder & CEO, ODE+ RAE
Renée is a visionary entrepreneur and the solo female founder of ODE + RAE, a female owned and led, luxury Swimwear and Ready-To-Wear brand, which she bootstrapped from the ground up in 2017. Through the ODE + RAE brand, Renée is committed to empowering women to feel confident and liberated, as well as inspire others to create a lifestyle that harmonises work and personal freedom.
Renée is passionate about freedom, personal growth, connection, happiness, and resilience; these values are the bedrock of her business philosophy. She advocates for maximising one's potential and living an inspired and authentic life, on your terms.
https://www.instagram.com/renee_rayy
https://odeandrae.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ODEANDRAE
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Watch the full episode on You tube
https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
We all saw the numerous collaborations Barbie did before the movie launch from make up to Airbnb
But many of you don’t have the Barbie budget or the clout of a million dollar movie behind you so how can you make a partnership work for you, why should you do a collab and how do you pitch to the brands you are interested in working with. They are all of thing topics I'll be chatting with Natalia Chappel about in this episode
Some of the key topics
- The Power of Partnerships and Collaborations
- Understanding Complementary Brands and Audiences
- The Benefits of Partnerships for Reach and Growth
- Finding the Right Partners: Dream Brands and Unexpected Collaborations
- Researching and Connecting with Potential Partners
- Pitching for Partnerships: Creating a Compelling Proposal
- Negotiating a Partnership Involving a Physical Product
- Considerations for Profit Split and Stock Management
- Optimal Marketing Timelines for Product Launches
Key Takeaways
Strategic Partnerships
- Forming complementary partnerships can help expand a brand's reach and engage different audiences.
- Clear objectives, understanding of the partner's branding, and aligning with the target customer are crucial.
- Real-world examples of successful partnerships,
Executing Partnerships
- The significance of clear agreements, expectations, marketing budget, and timelines.
- The importance of GDPR compliance and transparent data-sharing agreements.
- Creating excitement around product launches through well-timed marketing efforts and engaging events.
Handling Products and Stock
- Recommendations on focusing on core products to reduce margin erosion.
- Importance of clear agreements and margins when stocking products exclusively on a website.
Tips for Approaching Brands
- Use social media platforms like LinkedIn to research and build relationships for partnerships.
- Make pitches concise and highlight unique selling propositions to stand out.
- Consider the partner’s tone of voice, customer base, and brand values.
Challenges and Timeframes
- Understand that securing partnerships can take significant time, ranging from a few months to over a year.
- Establish clear timelines, objectives, and deliverables from the start.
Guest Natalie Chappel
Digital Marketing Consultant and founder of Natalia Chappel Consultancy for lifestyle and fashion brands working with brands to scaling up revenue growth & accelerating traffic to site
improving channel mix that focuses on acquiring new customers
improving retention rate & ensuring a healthy bottom line
www.nataliachappell.co.uk
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nataliachappellco/
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nataliachappell
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Watch the full episode on You tube
https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
How do you inject more personality into your brand, help keep customers engaged and tell a story? One of those ways is by using stop motion in your creative socials, videos and reels. And today I'm chatting with Alice Loveday, founder of Loveday Social and the queen of Stop Motion.
Highlights include
- Introduction to Stop Motion:**
- Definition and magical elements of stop motion.
- Why it’s so engaging and valuable for marketing and sales.
- Business Applications:**
- Distinguishing your brand and telling stories through stop motion.
- Highlighting unique selling points (USPs) and product features.
- The power of stop motion in social media and paid ads.
- Common Misconceptions:**
- Debunking the myth that stop motion is time-consuming.
- Tips for creating quick, effective stop motions using minimal equipment
- Practical Advice:****
- Recommended apps: Life Lapse and Stop Motion Studio.
- Top five must-have stop motion content types for product businesses.
- Step-by-step process for coming up with stop motion content.
Guest Alice Loveday
https://www.lovedaysocial.com/
https://www.instagram.com/loveday.social
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Watch the full episode on You tube
https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
When was the last time you audited your website and looked at it from the point of view of a user? This weeks episode we chat all about increasing your website conversion and enhancing the experience of the user.
Aime Cox from Studio Cotton is an expert when it comes to crafting and designing websites and shares their insights and tips on why your conversion may not be where it should be and what you can do about it.
Some of the areas we talk about
E-commerce Conversion Rates:**
- Understand what makes a good conversion rate and why smaller businesses might achieve higher rates (around 3-3.5%).
User Experience (UX) and Product Descriptions:**
-
Listen to Amy’s golden advice on website optimization and the importance of regular SEO updates focusing on product descriptions and product collections.
-
Audit and Optimize:
-
Learn about the importance of regularly auditing your website to identify issues hampering conversion rates. Amy also provides insightful advice on utilizing customer and press reviews to enhance product descriptions.
Guest
Aime Cox founder
Studio Cotton offer thoughtfully crafted website design and expertise for small businesses and podcasts
https://studiocotton.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/studio.cotton/
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Communications expert, journalist and PR guru Priscilla Pollara joins the start scale succeed podcast to chat
Pitching to journalists and how to engage with them and how to find the right ones for your brand & products.
Creating the story the journalist wants to hear and feature
Collaborating with aligned brands to boost your visibility and leverage audiences
Engaging customers through compelling stories and what that looks like and how to craft them.
Understanding your unique Value proposition
Guest bio
With a background rooted in newspapers, Priscilla Pollara brings a unique perspective to problem-solving in the world of PR and communications. This distinct approach is the cornerstone of their firm, Top Trick, which is the culmination of years of experience in communications, journalism, reputation management, and branding.
Priscillas journalistic eye allows them to view every project through a distinct lens, ensuring thorough and insightful strategies that set their clients apart in a crowded marketplace.
https://toptrick.co.uk/collections/courses
https://toptrick.co.uk/
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
The tables are turned this week where Nicole is chatting with Jacqui Ripley spilling the tea on what retailers want and what to include in your pitch deck and some other nuggets such as
⭐️ Rookie mistakes brand owners can make including packaging
⭐️ How to grab a buyer's attention
⭐️ The key information to put in a retail deck
⭐️ How to handle negotiation
⭐️ The importance of getting your pricing right from the get go
Interviewer
Jacqui Ripley
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Connecting and engaging with your customer is key and one way to do this is through pop ups.
This week’s guest is Matt Hopkins founder of the great brand exchange.
The Great Brand Exchange was founded in 2014 with two goals in mind. The first was to help small businesses grow and scale by giving them a route into retail. And the second was to bring exciting, unique, local products to major retailers enabling them to offer something different alongside their big-name brands.
On the podcast Matt chats about:
- Consumer behaviour and trends and what consumers want from a brand
- Shifts towards localism and the desire for brands that reflect consumers' core values.
- Importance of storytelling, authenticity, and personalized experiences in brand engagement.
How pop-ups serve as a potent marketing tool.
- Benefits of temporary retail spaces from driving sales to engaging consumers.
- Pop-ups’ role in rapidly responding to trends and consumer demands.
Setting Up a Successful Pop-Up**
- Essential steps involved in preparing for a pop-up event.
- The importance of location, design, and storytelling in attracting and engaging customers.
- Strategies for creating impactful visual merchandising and product displays.
https://www.instagram.com/thegreatbrandexchange/
https://thegbexchange.com/
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
You are what you eat, well in this case you are what you put on your skin, inspired by superfoods and plant based ingredients Roshanne transitioned from a legal career into the beauty industry and founded The Glowcery.
Listen to hear how
Before Roshanne even launched she had been sent a cease and desist from Chanel
How the brand launched and why it was successful from the beginning
How the Glowcery are marketing and growing their brands and standing out in every increasing competitive market
What is working for them with influencer marketing
And why pushing yourself outside your comfort zone is key for your growth as an entrepreneur.
Guest
Roshanne Dorset founder of the The Glowcery
From the court room to cosmetics
Roshanne's journey into holistic wellness began five years ago when she embraced a vegan lifestyle. Initially motivated by a desire to enhance her diet.
Roshanne experienced profound improvements in her overall health; her skin became clearer and her Roshanne was inspired to found "The Glowcery," a company dedicated to creating skincare products that align with the principles of a plant-based lifestyle, nourishing the skin as wholesomely as the foods she consumed.
https://www.theglowceryshop.com/
https://www.instagram.com/theglowceryshop/
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
What’s a personal brand and how do you build one when you are also building your product business?
This weeks episode Martha Keith founder of Martha Brook Stationery joins the start scale succeed podcast and we chat about how you can make your brand stand out with personal branding, sharing your story and bringing your community on the journey.
Highlights include
How & why you should show up as the founder to differentiate your brand
The power of personal branding and debunking the current trend for faceless accounts
The Do’s and Don’ts of personal branding
How to create engaging content
Developing the story of your brand
Guest Martha Keith founder of Martha Brook Stationery an award winning multi 7 figure stationery brand. Martha is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer and mentor
You can find out more at
https://www.marthabrook.com/
https://www.instagram.com/marthabrookldn/
https://www.instagram.com/businesssecretsclub
https://www.marthakeith.uk/
Host Nicole Higgins
Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits.
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
What to do when your product business just isn’t working for you anymore?, this is where Kayley was a few months ago and she has reassessed and reflected on what she wants her brand and business to be and so she is pivoting and changing her business model.
In this episodes she shares her journey of how she started, the challenges she has faced and why she is pivoting to move forward with podcast host Nicole Higgins
Some of the topics covered
Building a Brand with a Unique Selling Proposition:** Learn about Kayleigh's strategic shift towards a brand with an "always-in-stock" component, annual color changes, and seasonal drops.
Wholesale and Market Strategies:** Insight into Kayleigh’s plans to wholesale her brand, her preparation for trade shows, and why she chose to delay her participation to ensure brand readiness.
The Emotional Journey of Entrepreneurship:** Kayleigh discusses overcoming her fear of failure, redefining what failure means, and the personal pride she takes in managing her business alongside motherhood.
Strategic Pivots and Operational Changes:** Hear how Kayleigh handled challenges including subletting her store space, closing the playroom, and her plans to focus more on her own successful brand.
Future Aspirations and Current Projects:** Get a sneak peek into the upcoming launch of Kayleigh's new brand and the winter collection planned for September/October.
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
At some stage in your business journey you may look for investment to help you start or grow. This week in ep 141 Luke Desmond joins the podcast to demystify investment and explain the investment landscape, who you should be approaching depending on what stage your business is at and the funds you are looking for.
Highlights of this episode include:
Pitching to Investors: The value of a compelling story, clear data, and a precise ask in your pitch deck. Understand your business valuation and be prepared with all necessary documentation.
Business Valuation: Factors influencing valuation and the differences between valuation methods based on profit or potential growth.
Preparing for Investment: A walk-through of how to best get ready for investment, including having a well-organized pitch deck and data room for potential investors.
Explaining Lifetime value We delve into the components required to calculate a customer's lifetime value – average order value, frequency of purchases, and customer retention period – using a kidswear business as a case example.
Client Acquisition Cost (CAC) Insight: Understanding CAC not only in terms of initial profit but over the longevity of client relationships and how it influences marketing budgets and investor relations.
Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS): Luke breaks down these tax-relief schemes aimed at aiding investors who back risky startups.
Investor Relations: Tips for aligning with the right investors – what to look for, what to ask, and how to establish mutual expectations for a fruitful partnership.
Guest
Luke Desmond founder of crisp accountancy and fractional CFO has worked with businesses across a range of sectors but has specialist knowledge of technology, SaaS & E-commerce. He has helped businesses fine-tune original ideas & launch from day 1, raise seven figures and exit for eight figures.
founder and CEO of Crisp Accountancy, an accountancy firm that works with a range of businesses from Solopreneurs to Scale Up in a variety of different sectors.
Luke works with businesses across a range of sectors but has a specialist knowledge of and passion for technology, SaaS & E-commerce.
Through his work as Fractional CFO, he helps businesses fine-tune original ideas & launch from day 1, raise seven figures and exit for eight figures. He is on a mission to improve the financial understanding of business owners and I works closely with businesses to increase their profits and equip them with the necessary skills to master their finances and make better informed financial decisions.
https://www.instagram.com/crispaccountancy/
https://crispaccountancy.co.uk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukedesmond/
https://www.lukedesmond.co.uk/
Host Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
This weeks episode Nicole chats about how to build commercial ranges for your product business.
Nicole shares some of the mistakes she made whilst working as a buyer for major high street retailers and how you can create and develop products that are the right fit for your business
Focusing on people, the product and profit Nicole breaks down actions to take when planning for the seasons ahead.
The Host
Nicole Higgins is a seasoned professional with over 18 years experience in the retail industry, having worked as a buyer with blue-chip companies such as Primark and M&S across multi product categories from Bras to Beauty
Her journey in the corporate world has equipped her with a wealth of knowledge and insights that she now dedicates to empowering startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in their journey to growth, profit and scalability.
Nicole specializes in guiding businesses through the intricacies of start up, strategy, sourcing and product development. Her keen understanding of market dynamics allows her to provide tailored solutions that drive success in today's competitive landscape.
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Sponsors
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Using a distributor for your beauty or wellness brand can catapult your growth.
In ep 139 of start scale succeed host Nicole Higgins chats with Catherine Collins about the practical tips for identifying and collaborating with the right distributor.
Catherine established a distribution agency in the middle east and now provides expert consultancy for beauty and wellness brands
This week some of the topics covered are
- The pivotal role of distributors in a brand's expansion and the critical factors that determine when a brand is ready to work with a distributor.
- The financial mechanics of distributor partnerships, including the ideal margin rule for pricing
- The distinction between the roles of distributors and agents in the growth of a brand, and what brands can expect from each.
- Characteristics of founders who steer their brands towards success, such as a growth mindset, resilience, and a purpose-driven approach to their business.
- An overview of current trends shaping the beauty industry, including consumer interest in scientifically-backed products and doctor-led brands.
- Practical tips for identifying and collaborating with the right distributor, including questions to ask and strategies to foster a lasting and beneficial relationship.
Guest
Catherine Collins
Catherine’s career spans across multiple markets from building an international beauty distribution business in the Middle East to advising some of the world’s most well known beauty brands on their global strategy and working closely with high growth startups and connecting them with investors. She has a deep understanding of international markets and how to scale a brand successfully and has worked with a variety of different retailers and distributors worldwide.
https://www.constellarconsultancy.com/
https://www.instagram.com/constellarconsultancy/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
The retail market in the middle east is worth approx $80 billion dollars, but how do you break into that market as a brand and what do you need to consider
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed Nicole chats with Abbie founder of base brands a brand strategy & consulting company based in Dubai about selling and launching in the Dubai market
Some of the areas discussed are:
- Tips and advice for breaking into the market from customers to logistics
- What to consider culturally and shopping habits in Dubai
- Trends & Market changes that are emerging in the middle east
- Red tape and legislation
- The mistakes the small businesses make when trying to sell in Dubai
- The different types of retailers and expected payment terms
Guest
https://www.basebrandsco.com/
https://www.instagram.com/base.brands/
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Recent closures of high street chains further highlights the challenges of bricks and mortar stores, but how are the new kids on the block building their businesses and creating a community.
This episode I chat with Cat Anderson founder of sustainable clothing store Treen a vegan fashion retailer, offering a selection of style must-haves from a carefully selected group of brands that make a positive difference. Providing a killer wardrobe without Killing the planet.
This episode we chat about her start up journey, what she is doing to build the business and building relationships and becoming more than a retail brand and how she gets the community and her team involved in the brand.
The sustainable initiatives that she has planned for the future and why they mean so much to her and the brand.
https://www.instagram.com/shoptreen_/
https://shoptreen.com/
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Are you using your stories to their full potential?
Using stories to connect and sell is key to help you business grow. Ep 136 is with creative content consultant May Castillo our key focus today is How to sell in your stories.
Some of the topics we chat about are:
- "Fearless Selling" - Overcome the emotional barriers to confidently sell your products or services.
- "Sales Foundations" - Understand essential sales strategies before utilizing Instagram stories to sell.
- "Consumer Shifts" - Adapt to changes in consumer behavior favoring stories and messaging over feeds and reels.
- "Story Sequencing" - Craft a compelling narrative throughout the day to engage viewers and lead them to purchase.
- "Client Transformations" - Use client stories to show the impact of your product, enhancing its value proposition.
- "Storytelling Mastery" - Maintain a logical sequence in storytelling; start with a problem and end with a solution.
- "Creative Sales" - Infuse creativity in sales through gamification and customer involvement for better engagement.
- "Avoid Mistakes" - Ensure context, relevance, and storytelling flow to avoid common storytelling pitfalls.
- "Profile Optimization" - Create a strong profile with strategic pinned posts to attract and retain followers.
- "SMS Engagement" - Utilize SMS marketing sparingly to build personal connections and boost engagement.
Guest
May Castillo
https://www.instagram.com/talktomay/
https://www.talktomay.com/10commandmentsofigstories
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
On average 35-40% of your turnover in your product business should come from your email marketing. If you're not quite reaching that target then this episode is for you.
This week in the start scale succeed podcast I chat with Hannah Spicer email marketing expert
During the podcast, Hannah shares valuable insights on:
-
Mistakes businesses make with their emails
-
Building effective retention and win-back email flows
-
Optimizing open and click-through rates
-
Creating engaging and successful email campaigns
-
And much more!
If you're new to email marketing or looking to enhance your current strategies, this episode is a must-listen. Gain practical advice and actionable tips straight from an industry expert.
Guest Hannah Spicer
https://www.instagram.com/hannahspicer_consulting/
https://www.hspicerconsulting.com/
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed host Nicole Higgins is joined by guest Katie Tucker, author of "Do penguins eat peaches and founder of Product Jungle. Together, they delve into the essential topic of understanding customers and how businesses can leverage this understanding to thrive. Katie provides invaluable insights into market research, customer discovery, and the importance of aligning with customer values.
Listeners will gain practical tips for conducting effective surveys, testing product viability, and maintaining a collaborative approach with customers. Whether you're an established business or an entrepreneur just starting out, this episode offers actionable strategies to enhance your relationship with your customers and fuel business growth.
Buy Katies’ Book Do penguins eat peaches book
https://www.productjungle.co.uk/about
https://www.instagram.com/productjungle/
Guest Bio
Katie Tucker is an inspirational product leader with over twelve years’ experience in leading teams and delivering stand-out digital products and services. She is also a writer, author of the Amazon bestselling book Do Penguins Eat Peaches? and a speaker.
In 2020, she set-up Product Jungle. A boutique consultancy with bite - using tools and hacks from the world of big tech to help small businesses and social enterprises embrace customer problems and build products and services that sell.
After starting her career in the fast-paced world of commodity markets, working her way up from business reporter to managing editor and overseeing the daily product and digital delivery of ten B2B publications, she worked for a successful FTSE 100 company for over ten years, inspiring teams, setting product strategies and delivering transformational digital products with a clear focus on user needs.
In 2018, she made the bold move to quit the corporate 9-5 to travel the world for ten months with her family, a life-changing experience which led to renewed sense of purpose. Product Jungle was born out of a passion of demystifying big tech practices.
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
The UK wedding industry is worth £14 billion and this weeks’ Guest is definitely having their slice of the pie.
Revolutionizing the bridal industry with the “airbnb” of bridal rentals.
I chat with co-founder Ella Gaskell about PS Bridal Rental, a rental and resale platform.
Celebrity Stylist Ella partnered with Zoe Jervoise Graham
to start the business after establishing during covid that there was a definite gap in the market for the idea
We discuss about how the idea came to life and how networking and tech accelerator programmes helped the business happen and move forward.
The Unique features and services that P.S. Bridal Rental's offerings, including at-home try-ons, reversible alterations, and the recent addition of a resale service for wedding dresses.
The Future ambitions of the business- Get an exclusive glimpse into P.S. Bridal Rental's global expansion plans and its mission to cater to diverse cultures and traditions in the wedding space.
P.S. Bridal Rental is not just a business; it's a game-changer in the wedding industry, empowering brides to embrace sustainable and affordable options without compromising on their dream attire.
https://www.instagram.com/psbridalrental
https://psbridal.co.uk/
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Content pillars - a term we often hear talked about in relation to social media and creating content but what are they? how many should you have? and how do you establish what they are, In this episode Nicole chats with Char Dixon ex head of marketing for Dune and New Look (to name a few ) and founder of loud mouth content.
Chars’ aim is to reduce the overwhelm of content creation for small business owners
The episode guides both new and existing businesses on reassessing scattered content and aligning it with both brand values and audience interests
Char Dixon https://www.loudmouthcontent.com/
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
From running home on her lunch break to post orders to now owning a bricks and mortar store, a thriving online business and co-founding a ladies fashion brand.
In this weeks episode of Start scale succeed (ep 131) I chat with Sophie Cafolla founder of stock & Co a stunning children’s lifestyle brand on how the brand has evolved over the years and why bricks and mortar is key to their growth.
Sophie shares great insight and tips that will really help and inspire you in you business and on your journey. Listen to hear how:
Sophie Embraced Failure Using early setbacks as learning opportunities to improve business strategies and product offerings
How they rebranded so that they could strategically expand and diversify the businessHow understanding the numbers and the financials were key to help navigate growth and plan feedback
How listening to buyer feedback and acting quickly helped Sophie get stocked in their first wholesale account nationwide
Guest links
www.WonderCru.com
Www.stork-co.com
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
In this episode, we sit down with Nikki Coe, a branding expert and business coach specializing in working with co-founders.
Nikki shares her insights on why 65% of high-potential businesses fail due to co-founder fallout and offers valuable advice on nurturing successful partnerships.
From identifying tensions within the business to the importance of open communication, Nikki provides practical tips and real-life examples to help co-founders navigate the complexities of their relationships.
www.nickicoe.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicki-coe
https://www.nickicoe.com/7questions
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Goals aren’t just for January.
In this workshop style episode host Nicole Higgins takes listeners through a comprehensive guide on setting strategic business goals for future success. Drawing from her extensive experience in corporate strategy and entrepreneurship, Nicole outlines the importance of setting goals and the actionable steps necessary to achieve them.
Split into 3 parts Reflections, Review and Plan
Reflection
-
Nicole encourages listeners to reflect on their experiences in 2023, both personally and professionally.
-
Listeners are prompted to think about what worked, what didn't work, and how they felt throughout the year.
-
A focus on professional growth, personal well-being, and business performance is central to this reflection.
Review
A deeper dive into the lessons learnt in your business, your strengths and weaknesses, turnover, sales & marketing results. Identifying opportunities for growth.
Planning and Goal Setting
Planning S.M.A.R.T Goals
-
Listeners are prompted to consider three key areas of focus for their business and align their goals with the broader mission and vision of their company.
-
The episode concludes with a focus on establishing sales targets and key business objectives for the next 90 days, ensuring a clear plan for success.
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
Resilience, Rebrand and Reinvention.
These are some of the topics I chat about with Ness, founder of the find boutique in this weeks podcast episode.
The experience of rebranding, handling business setbacks, including a social media hack, which meant she lost all her followers and had to start from scratch.
The strategy behind weekly drops, engaging customers through live sessions, and the shift to smaller, more profitable fashion events.
Ness's learning curve in the industry, her focus on what works for marketing, and her thoughts on expanding to platforms like TikTok.
Connect with Ness and the Find Boutique:
thefindboutique.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/thefindbou/
https://www.instagram.com/findbou/
https://www.tiktok.com/@thefindbou
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thefindbou/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
I’m often asked how long it takes to start a product business and the answer is how long is a piece of string as there are so many variables at play.
These variables are something I discuss with TV fashion stylist turned Founder Judy Gilroy creator of home organisation brand @clossy who shares her journey of why after thinking about two other business previously she bit the bullet and started her own product business alongside a successful tv and styling career and family life.
Some of the areas we chat about
-
The birth of Clossy and Judy's inspiration to create a home organization brand
-
Overcoming self-doubt and finding the courage to pursue her business ideas
-
The challenges of finding the right suppliers and creating a cohesive product range
-
The highs and lows of the business journey, from website development to digital marketing
-
The strategic decision to distance herself from being the face of the brand and working with influencers
-
The success of Clossy's influencer marketing and the ongoing refinement of digital marketing
-
Judy's advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and the importance of taking the leap
Judy Gilroy is the founder of Clossy a Home organisation brand for the house proud not house perfect. She is also a well established TV and fashion stylist.
https://clossy.co/
https://www.instagram.com/clossyco/
https://www.instagram.com/judygilroy/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
Hands up if you remember the Barbie Launch extravaganza?
I'd never seen anything like it and it made me look more at experiential marketing, what it was and how it works.
Connecting with your consumers and creating a memorable experience is key to help building your brand.
This week in the Start Scale Succeed podcast I dive more into that with my chat with Katie Peake founder of backlash creative THE agency for experiential marketing specialising in fashion & beauty pop ups and events.
Katie shares the story and ideas behind her favourite pop up the agency did this year for Pandora in front of tower bridge and other clients such as the beautie Pie warehouse experience.
Other areas we talk about are:
What are the advantages of using experiential marketing?
What you need to be clear on before you start your project?
Understanding what you want to achieve for example is it a new demographic you want to attract, build brand awareness or increase sales.
How Katie goes about creating a strong theme and idea.
What's going on in experiential marketing in 2024!
You can get in touch with Katie and the backlash team on the links below:
Guest Katie Peake
https://www.backlash.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/backlashcreative/
See some of the backlash projects here:
https://www.backlash.co.uk/showreel
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coachNicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital ClicksAre you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
It's never too late to start your business.
In this weeks episode of Start Scale Succeed, I chat with founder Karen Saul who started her ethical and sustainable brand brand Good Wash Day mid lockdown in her 50's.
Good wash day is a organic cotton jersey towel ethically sourced to eliminate the frizz that standard towels can cause. Kind to all hair types. Karen shares about the twists and turns of her start up journey, the costs and research that went into the brand at the beginning:
How her branding and investing in the visuals right from the beginning has paid off.
How shout outs from authentic influencers have helped drive sales and what she has learnt from.
Where she is spending her time and energy on in her business and what is getting results.
Guest
https://www.instagram.com/goodwashday/
https://www.goodwashday.com/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coachNicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
From Barrister to Beauty brand to B-Corp This weeks episode of the start scale succeed podcast we are chatting all about becoming a B-corp with This is silk founder Sonal Keay who during her legal career began a side hustle focused on the benefits of silk in skincare based on her own skincare needs and problems which then flourished and became her main focus and business
Sonal shares her start up story and the initial research that went into the brand along with why she wanted to become a B-corp and takes us through that journey, explaining what exactly a B-corp is and advise to those that are going through that experience or are thinking of starting it.
She discusses how it has changed their business operations, product sourcing and This is silks continual commitment to improvement, sustainability and growing an ethical business.
Guest linkshttps://www.instagram.com/thisissilk/
https://thisissilk.com/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
Do you find selling easy? and are you using your socials to sell as much as you could. If you answered no to both of those questions then this episode is for you.
Today's episode is a must-listen for every small business owner and entrepreneur looking for sustainable strategies to boost client engagement and sales without the burnout.
Special guest Sara Dalrymple , a renowned sales trainer and mentor, who brings a treasure trove of practical advice from her new book 'More Sales, Please.' Dive into the heart of service-led selling, the power of storytelling, and how just 30 minutes a day can transform your business.
Get ready to take notes as we uncover the secrets to consistent sales growth, genuine client connections, and the emotionally-driven world of successful marketing. Don't forget to reach out to Sara for more insights on 'Selling on Stories' and to preorder her book that's changing the game for small businesses everywhere. Here's a peek at what we're unpacking today!
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The art of service before selling: How prioritizing your clients' needs leads to easier sales decisions.
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Comfortable self-promotion: Finding the best medium, whether it's videos or writing, to communicate your business value.
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Engagement without exhaustion: The fine balance of keeping your audience interested while avoiding burnout.
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Skills that sell: Why promoting, marketing, and selling are the backbone of business success.
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Size doesn't matter: Why a smaller audience can be just as effective as a large one in achieving sales.
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Embracing authenticity: The shift in social media towards real content and personal connections.
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More Sales, Please: A preview of Cara's new book and her 30-minute promotion model for consistent sales.
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The Selling on Stories cheat sheet: Cara's tool for engaging and converting audiences at different interest levels.
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The psychological power of storytelling: How emotional connections drive buying decisions.
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Overcoming the mindset block: Tips to boost your confidence in selling and to focus on your audience.
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Sales-focused motivation: A discussion on the true goals behind starting a business.
Sara Darlymple
Sales stories cheat sheet
https://view.flodesk.com/pages/634824528c93e14e464b926b
Website
https://saradalrymple.co.uk/
Order Sara's book: More sales Please
https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/more-sales-please-how-to-promote-your-small-business-online-achieve-consistent-sales-and-grow-without-the-grind-dalrymple-sara-dalrymple/7392853?ean=9781788604659
Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/saleswithsara/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coachNicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
One of the challenges that a small business can be faced with is when a larger retailer with bottomless pockets blatantly rips off your designs.
This is one of the topics I'm talking to Cara the founder of snoozeshade on ep 122 of Start Scale Succeed.
Cara Sayer, founder of Snooze Shade, shares her gripping journey of battling corporate giants and protecting her invention. With her blend of personal anecdotes and business acumen, Cara divulged how she dealt with a big retailer replicating her product in Aldi sparking her plight for IP rights and leading to extensive media coverage.
She enlightened us about unregistered design rights, the importance of trademarks, and the complexities of safeguarding one's product internationally.
We cover a LOT in this episode but here's just a snippet
- We talk about how she took on the large retailers when they infringed her designs and copyright and continues to do so.
- How to protect your designs
- Focusing on the profit rather than the turnover
- A close look at wholesale and distribution
- International trading into multiple countries.
- Challenges she faced as an entrepreneur
- Growing the brand and next steps.
Guest
Cara Sayer - Snoozeshade founder
https://www.snoozeshade.com/
https://www.instagram.com/snoozeshade/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you
’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
In this episode, host Nicole Higgins sits down with Georgia Williams, founder of Ray of Social and Canva Queen, to discuss how to create content that captures attention and stands out from the competition. Georgia shares valuable tips on finding your unique voice, showcasing confidence, outsourcing tasks, and creating a content plan with a purpose.
Whether you're starting fresh or in need of a content refresh, this episode provides practical advice to help you elevate your content and stop the scroll.
Key Points:
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Defining your unique brand voice and identifying what sets you apart from the competition
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Confidently delivering your message and creating content with conviction
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The importance of having a content plan and understanding the purpose behind each piece of content
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Avoiding comparison with competitors and focusing on your own goals and journey
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Tips for batching content and streamlining the creation process
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How to approach content creation for a fresh start or to refresh an existing account
Guest: Georgia Williams
-
Founder of Ray of Social "Canva Queen"
-
Experienced in social media marketing and content strategy
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Passionate about helping business owners create compelling and eye-catching content without the faff.
Guest links
Georgia Williams
www.rayofsocial.com
www.instagram.com/rayofsocial
www.linkedin.com/in/georgiawilliamsrayofsocial/
Host
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
Building a business on your own can be tiring and overwhelming, as you have to wear many hats and juggle all the tasks. Experienced Make Up Artist Donna May Clitheroe founded Donna May London in 2017, creating embroidered make up bags. Rapid growth led Donna to partner with Sarah Spence, her website and brand designer. Together they have taken the business from strength to strength, expanding their customer base, introducing several new products and expanding more into wholesale
Some of the key takeaways are:
- Partner with someone with complementary skills to grow your business organically. For example, Donna's celebrity connections and makeup artistry experience complemented Sarah's web development and branding skills. Together, they were able to achieve more than they could have on their own.
- Bigger isn’t always better, Donna May London have prioritized being stocked in boutique lifestyle stores over larger chains, because they do an exceptional job of presenting their products and connecting with their customers
- Social media has been instrumental in the brand’s success - Google, Facebook, newsletters, Instagram, YouTube tutorials & TikTok have helped them attract customers. An 8K private Facebook group has been invaluable for market research as well as fostering a thriving community.
- The website is king. Sarah & Donna recommend investing heavily in a quality website & suggest aspiring entrepreneurs learn how to use & update it themselves.
- Don’t be embarrassed to ask ‘stupid questions’ in order to learn what you need to know for your business.
- Create your own financial path. Not all businesses need outside funding or investment. Donna May London have prioritized self-funding to maintain the buzz and agility of their business.
- If your business is turning over six figures, consider investing in a fulfillment center. It can be a big leap forward, but it's worth it for the increased dynamism, efficiency and scalability.
Donna May LondonLinks
Donna May London Website
Donna May London Facebook
Donna May London Pinterest
Donna May London TikTok
Nicole HigginsLinks
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coachNicole Higgins Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital ClicksAre you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
How can you boost your personal performance in business and life? Elevate yourself, and you will make better decisions, have more energy and more to give.
Harvey Fairburn is the founder of Fairburn Fitness and a high-performance coach who specializes in helping business owners elevate their personal standards and improve their performance in their businesses.
His passion for this work stems from his own personal journey, having experienced the detrimental effects of neglecting self-care and focusing solely on his business. Harvey shares the methods you can use to create a rich, fulfilling business and life.
Some of the key takeaways are:
- Audit your energy to work out which tasks bring joy or drain your energy. Environment plays a role in energy levels, so it's important to consider the space you work in and the people you interact with.
- Set boundaries with clients and create designated times for communication to prevent them from consuming all your energy.
- Discipline is important and comes from having a clear vision of what you want in life and being willing to sacrifice for it.
- Movement breaks and healthy practices can help create more energy and productivity.
- Life and business are interlinked, energize your life and your business will benefit as well.
Harvey FairburnLinks
Fairburn Fitness Website
Harvey Fairburn Instagram
Harvey Fairburn Facebook
Nicole HigginsLinks
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coachNicole Higgins Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital ClicksAre you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
So many women I speak to follow a varied path before they start their business. And this week's guest also had a varied career before she set up her business.
Jenni Retourné is the founder of independent, natural skincare brand, Willowberry. Join us as we dive deep into Jenni's journey of starting her own beauty brand, the challenges she faced, and the incredible success she has achieved. From formulating her signature products at her kitchen table to forging partnerships with key retailers, Jenni's story is nothing short of inspiring.
Some of the key takeaways are:
- How challenging the narrative on how to sell beauty products, and focusing on making her customers feel good set Willowberry apart as a brand.
- The power of approaching manufacturers face to face to build relationships vs relying on phone calls and emails that don’t get answered
- Attending PR and Press Events enabled Jenni to build connections in person with journalists, and give them her products to try. This made the brand much more memorable compared to just being another product that lands on their desk.
- You don’t need to say yes to everything. Jenni has carefully steered a path so she is only stocked in stores and websites that fit with her brand identity, such as Anthropologie.
- The importance of self belief, determination and tenacity when building a business
Jenni Retourné
Links
Willowberry Website
Willowberry Instagram
Willowberry Facebook
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniretourne/
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
When should you consider working with a digital marketing agency? How can you ensure smooth growth and maximize returns on ad spending? How do you know what agency is the right fit for you?
For this week’s episode I am joined by Anna Frapwell, the founder of Neon Digital Clicks and an industry expert with 20 years of digital marketing experience. Anna shares her invaluable insights on when to consider investing in digital marketing, how to decide if an agency is the right fit for your goals, and potential red flags to look out for.
Some of the key takeaways are:
- Building Solid Foundations: Before investing in paid advertising and scaling your business, it's crucial to have solid foundations in place. Investing in ads can expose previously unknown cracks or issues, providing an opportunity to fix them and successfully scale your business. We look at what your solid foundations should be.
- Assessing Agency Fit: When considering an agency, take into account their ability to achieve your goals, as well as chemistry and trust. Ask questions about their team, distinguishing between juniors and specialists, to ensure expertise aligns with your needs. Look for testimonials and case studies and what type of product businesses they work with. Are they a similar fit to yours or are they spraying and praying!
- Red Flags to Watch Out For: Be cautious of agencies that don't ask probing questions during calls. It's important to gain knowledge about what needs to be done, and an agency that skips this step may not have your best interests at heart.
- What the key questions are to ask the agency
Anna FrapwellLinkshttps://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/annafrapwell/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and Retail CoachLinkshttps://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital ClicksAre you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
In this week’s episode we are diving into an alternative tool you can use to help you thrive in business, and manage stress.
I’m joined by Shauna Corr, an EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy) expert. EFT is a relatively new therapy, but it is quickly gaining popularity due to its simplicity, effectiveness,
EFT combines Chinese acupuncture with modern talking therapy. Shauna helps people address their issues by tapping on certain parts of the body while discussing their concerns.
Despite some initial skepticism surrounding this method, it has been scientifically proven to be effective. We discuss how business owners can use this technique to boost performance, set boundaries, remove money blocks, gain focus, and more in their business.
Some of the key takeaways are:
- By preventing the logical brain from entering flight or fight mode during times of stress, EFT helps sustain clear thinking and reasoning. The technique keeps the logical brain online longer, even in stressful situations.
- To build your own self-confidence and tackle anxiety about public speaking and presentations, EFT can be an effective technique.
- EFT helps reduce the impact of daily stressors on our bodies and immune system. It can also improve sleep and boost physical wellbeing.
- Working through blocks such as issues around money, fear of setting prices, and asking for payment can also be achieved through EFT.
- Clinical studies show the effectiveness of tapping on reducing stress, with trial groups including American war veterans with PTSD.
Shauna Corr
Links
https://www.instagram.com/tappingintosuccess/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-o-callaghan-corr-0b9916203/
Nicole Higgins
Links
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
This weeks episode I’m joined by Sallie King who started her business urbansize in 2015 leaving behind a career in law to establish her own business creating stylish furniture for small spaces.
Slowly, establishing her business through etsy, not on the high street and DTC, We are debunking the overnight success myth and focusing on real stories, real business , real life
Her innovative floating bedside tables began to take off with sales initially coming from Etsy, Sallie shares how she reimagined the product to drive more sales adapting her business to the changing consumer landscape
Some of the key takeaways are:
- Getting validation for your business can give you more confidence and motivation.
- Starting a business with one product is possible, and diversifying with variations of that product can be a smart growth strategy.
- If copycats emerge, take immediate action.
- Explore marketing solutions such as blogging, & PR so you are not solely reliant on social media.
- Showing up on social media as an introvert
- Knowing when to expand - Using a fullfilment center meant Sallie could expand her business faster and increase her income.
Links
Sallie King
https://www.instagram.com/miss.sallieking/
https://www.instagram.com/urbansize_home
https://urbansize.co.uk/
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services.
Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000!
So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding.
Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://scaleandglow.com/
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
Want to smash your Q4 in your product business without feeling drained come January!
Lucy Haslam is the founder of children's lifestyle brand Acorn & Pip, a bricks and mortar store & cafe established in West Yorkshire with a thriving online presence. Established over 5 years ago with the customer, mindfulness and authenticity at its core.
In this episode, Lucy shares her Q4 retail checklist so that you can make the most of the last quarter of the year and goes through her tips focusing on sales, logistics, operations and marketing. Lucy now also works with SME founders through her coaching business and shares her inside tips and secrets to help them build their own successful business.
Some of the key takeaways are:
Engaging beyond the sales
How to maximise your marketing efforts
Practical strategies for success
Evaluating and planning for the business both before and after q4.
Lucy Haslam
https://www.instagram.com/acornandpip/
https://www.instagram.com/acornandpip/
https://start.coachingwithlucy.co.uk/checkout-q4-retail-checklist
https://acornandpip.com/
Nicole Higgins
Links
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
If you have been in business a few years now then you might be thinking should I rebrand? Or perhaps you started your brand on a shoe string and it doesn't really fit anymore with where you want to take the brand and your business.
This weeks podcast episode with Aiza Cheung founder of Sudio Coya we chat about rebranding and signs that Your business may need a branding overhaul.
Some of the areas we chatted about are
How does branding play a role in attracting your target audience and positioning your products?
What are some triggers that indicate it may be time for a rebrand?
What are some signs that your branding is not standing out in the market?
How does a shift in products or target market affect the need for rebranding?
When should entrepreneurs start prioritising branding, especially if they are starting out on a lean budget?
How can rebranding help a business move to the next level, such as getting into retailers?
What are some small, refreshing changes that can be made to a brand without a complete overhaul?
Aiza Founder of Studio Coya has worked with large and smaller brands for over 15 years on branding and brand strategy. Her passion is to help businesses strategically craft their branding. One that stands out and speaks to the right audience.
Website: studiocoya.com
Instagram: instagram.com/studiocoya
Free quiz: studiocoya.com/quiz
Brand Recipe: studiocoya.com/brand-recipe
Links
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Todays Guest Rebecca McCann Founder of Pro blo group and sleep london, her mantra is say yes and make it happen and grabs every opportunity. Rebecca was inspired by her love of a blow-dry and a broken hair brush. With a vision to create a product range that was luxury yet affordable,
Currently, Problogroup is in its ninth year and has achieved global recognition, selling in over 850 different countries.
Rebecca decided to venture into a new business and launched Sleep London. Drawing from her experiences with Problo , she implemented the lessons learned and saw tremendous growth and success in a shorter period of time.
Just like its predecessor, Sleep London has also expanded globally, reaching customers from all around the world.
Rebecca's achievements with her brands have inspired her to support and teach others how to replicate her success.
She has started tapping into her knowledge and expertise to guide and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, sharing her proven strategies and methods. With a passion for helping others, Rebecca is determined to empower individuals to achieve their goals and create thriving businesses of their own.
In this episode we chat about
Starting Imperfectly and Evolving: Rebecca encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to just start and not wait for a perfect product or plan. She emphasises the value of getting feedback, making necessary changes along the way, and not spending years in pursuit of perfection.
Identifying Market Opportunities: Despite challenges in the UK market, Rebecca saw potential in the Middle East, where the supply chain was less affected. She successfully launched her brand, Sleep, targeting prestigious retailers like Bloomingdale's and Sephora in the Middle East, and later expanded to the UK.
Embracing Manifestation with Action: Rebecca initially had doubts about manifestation but learned its power through a conversation with a spiritual friend. She realised that manifestation involves visualising goals and taking concrete action towards achieving them. Hard work is essential for manifestation to come to fruition.
Leveraging Opportunities and Branding: Rebecca's business, initially aimed at selling on eBay, changed its trajectory when well-known figures like Cassie Lomas and Colleen Rooney expressed interest. This allowed her to focus on product branding and packaging, highlighting the importance of getting the product in front of the ideal customer consistently.
Rebecca Mccann
https://www.instagram.com/rebeccamccann___/
https://sales.rebeccamccann.com/sleigh-the-season/
https://www.problogroup.com/
https://sleeplondoninc.com/
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coachNicole Higgins Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Eimer Kelly from The Creative Handle, a social media marketing expert, will be sharing her insights on what's working on TikTok and how to make the most of the platform
Some of the topics shared on this weeks episode are
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Importance of authenticity on TikTok
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The value of behind-the-scenes content on TikTok
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How TikTok's less curated platform benefits small businesses
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Adding value to TikTok content through humor or education
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Using comments to engage with viewers and drive more engagement
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Tips on saving time with TikTok, including drafts and pre-recorded content
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Where to start with a TikTok strategy
Links
https://www.instagram.com/thecreativehandle_/
Nicole Higgins
The buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
Financing your dream brand can sometimes feel like a mammoth task
This weeks episode of start scale succeed I chat with Jeroo Doodhmal founder of a sustainable childrenswear footwear brand on how she secured over 400k of grant funding to develop her brand Pip and Henry.
Jeroo shares her insights into where to find grants and how to apply,
These are some of her top tips listen to episode 110 to find out more.
- Research and prioritize grants that align with your specific business needs and objectives. Different grants have different focuses and criteria, so it's important to find the ones that best match your goals.
- Seek feedback and advice from others who have successfully applied for and won grants. Connecting with individuals who have gone through the grant application process can provide valuable insights and tips for improving your own application.
- Be persistent and apply to multiple grants. The competition for grants can be tough, so increasing your odds of success by applying to multiple grants is recommended. The feedback and evaluation from each application can also help you refine and improve future applications.
- Utilize customer insights and data to strengthen your grant application. Providing data, statistics, customer testimonials, and evidence of customer research can bolster your claims and assertions in the application.
- Demonstrate progress and effective use of previous grant funding. Grant bodies are more likely to provide additional funding if they see evidence of progress and effective utilization of previous grants. Showcasing incremental gains and building upon previous funding achievements can increase your chances of securing further funding.
Pip & Henry
Founder Jeroo Doodhmal
https://pipandhenry.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pip_and_henry/
Nicole Higgins
The buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins
The Buyer and retail coach
Nicole Higgins Links
https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
Barbie has grossed $1billion dollars in the last 17 days
Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll would’ve seen the marketing efforts from pink wrapped houses in the hollywood hills to clothing collaborations with Primark
But as a small business or a start up you won’t have the same kind of budgets to promote your brand or your launch.
But what can you do.
Today I’m joined by Steven Moffat of organic publicity who played a part in the UK launch of Barbie and he is going to share his top tips on what marketing you can do when you are launching and how to really connect and create experiences for your target market.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Establish your elevator pitch that connects with your audience.
Engage people's imaginations: Find creative ways to capture the attention of your target audience, even on a limited budget.
- Persistence is key: Stay motivated and continue promoting your product or service, even if the initial results are slow. Building momentum and generating buzz are crucial for success.
- Provide continuous updates: Keep the conversation and interest going by providing information about upcoming episodes or releases. This helps maintain engagement with your audience.
- Target the right audience: It's important to target your marketing efforts to the specific audience that is most likely to be interested in your product or service. Avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and tailor your content to the right market segment.
- Branding and storytelling: Create a narrative arc and find creative ways to communicate your message. Focus on branding elements that tie back to your elevator pitch and make your product easily identifiable. Tell the story of your product or service in an emotionally connecting way to build brand awareness.
- Provide value to customers: Instead of just selling to them, focus on providing value and benefits to your customers. User-generated content that is emotionally driven can be more effective in marketing than brand claims.
- Think creatively: Even if your product or service seems dry or straightforward, there is always a creative way to represent and communicate it. Use techniques like the "apple test" and the "keyhole test" to uncover emotional layers and hidden meanings behind your product.
- Have a global mindset: Consider how your product or business can be positioned in the market on a global scale, even if you don't have an international marketing team. Think about how to make the overall view of your product or business specific to certain key targets or markets.
Overall, the key is to engage people's imaginations, stay persistent, target the right audience, tell a compelling story, provide value, think creatively, and have a global mindset in your launch strategy.
CONTACT METHODhttps://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/steven-moffett-8832a3
Https://www.organic-marketing.co.uk
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
Scared of selling and feel uncomfortable asking for the sale?
This week Fashion brand consultant Elizabeth Stile Joins me on the podcast to chat selling with ease and without feeling salesy
Elizabeth, dives deep into the world of sales and provides valuable insights on how to effortlessly promote your business and connect with customers.
One of the key takeaways from this episode is the importance of actively promoting what you have to offer. Many people underestimate the interest their customers have in their products, leading to missed opportunities. Nicole and Elizabeth emphasize the need to make it crystal clear that you have something for sale when promoting your business.
Creating desirability for your products is another crucial aspect discussed. Limited runs and a sense of scarcity can increase sales significantly. People want what others want, so portraying a lack of interest in your products is a big no-no. Instead, focus on building momentum and showcasing positive feedback to generate interest and desire in potential customers.
A central theme explored throughout the episode is the importance of approaching sales from a point of service. It's not just about selling; it's about genuinely solving problems or providing pleasure for your customers. Nicole and Elizabeth stress the value of equal exchange and encourage sellers to overcome the fear of undercharging.
Key Takeaways1/Many businesses assume their customers aren't interested in what they have to offer and therefore don't promote it enough. But the truth is, the real reason their products don't sell is because they haven't actively sold them.n
2/ When promoting your business, it's important to make it clear that you have something for sale. There's a fine line between sharing personal aspects of your life and promoting your products, but it's crucial to provide details about availability, pricing, and launch times.
3/ Building up momentum and showcasing positive feedback can generate interest and desire in potential customers. Approach sales from a point of service, adding a call to action to everything and taking the emotion out of selling. It's about creating value for both parties.
4/ Personalize your interactions with customers by using their names when messaging them. This creates a sense of being seen, heard, and respected. Connecting with your audience on an emotional, human level is crucial for building lasting relationships.
5/ To create a personal connection, consider sending voice notes. Not only does it lead to immediate responses, but it also helps build an emotional bond with customers. Sharing personal experiences and emotions allows customers to see themselves in you and builds trust.
6/ People don't only follow for a nice product, but also to connect with the person behind it. Using DMs and voice notes creates a conversation-like atmosphere that helps build relationships. Showcasing your personality helps customers relate to you and your brand.
7/ Your product should solve a problem or provide pleasure for your customers. They buy based on the perception of great value, desirability, or a cheap price. Don't compete solely on price, but strategically discount to attract customers.
8/ Highlight the unique value and desirability of your product compared to competitors. Providing detailed information about your product's features and benefits can help attract customer interest. Remember to show your face in videos to build desirability and accelerate the customer journey.
9/ Clear communication and guiding customers are crucial. People often like being told what to do, so provide reasons for your customers to stay engaged. You play the role of a traffic signaler, guiding them through their journey and creating a smooth experience.
RecommendationsWords that sell
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Words-that-Sell-Revised-Expanded/dp/0071467858/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3JMPTUZOXOHN5&keywords=words+that+sell&qid=1690318903&sprefix=words+that+sell%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1
How to be a bad ass at making money
https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=how+to+be+a+badass+at+making+money&crid=1Q660YM579ZU&sprefix=how+to+be+a+badda%2Caps%2C91&ref=nb_sb_ss_sc_1_16
Oversubscribedhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Oversubscribed-How-People-Lining-Business/dp/0857088254/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AQG2XYZW83EZ&keywords=oversubscribed+daniel+priestley&qid=1690318863&sprefix=oversubscrib%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-1
Nicole Higgins Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
Elizabeth Stileshttps://www.elizabethstiles.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/elizabethstilesuk/
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
Feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall trying to source factories to get your products manufactured? Todays Episode I chat with Kate Hills founder of Make it British whose mission is to keep British Manufacturing alive and helps connect entrepreneurs who want to make products in the uk with the factories that can produce
We discuss the impact of Brexit on manufacturing, the rise in prices of raw materials, and the difficulties in importing from overseas. With her expertise, Kate provides valuable insights on finding and working with UK manufacturers, from researching and defining a clear brief to understanding the costs and expectations of the sampling process.
Join us as we discuss the world of UK manufacturing and it's future.
Key Take AwaysThe Importance of Clear Briefing for Manufacturers: "If you don't have those clear instructions, that example I've just given you could get back that's going to be the manufacturer' interpretation that you're going to get back. Chances are it's not going to be what your interpretation was and therefore you're going to have to get another sample made and another and sampling, because it's a labor, there's quite a lot of labor that goes into it costs more than production."
The Cost of Sampling in Manufacturing: "Manufacturers usually lose money on the sampling side. Even if they're charging you two, three times the production cost, because they've got that initial discussions with you, they're running through the tech pack, they're going through it with their staff."
The Importance of Labels and Packaging in Manufacturing: "You need to decide that early on because particularly things like labels sewn into garments, they can't start the work until they've got the labels there because they're going to have to be sewn in at some point or attached to the garment on the production line. They don't want to stop and start things."
Brexit and Rising Manufacturing Costs: the problem is raw materials. Raw materials, fibers, yarns, a lot of that stuff that we don't have locally here, even wool, because a lot of that comes from New Zealand. So prices have risen on raw materials and that has had a big impact."
The Pros and Cons of Manufacturing in the UK: The positives to manufacturing in the UK . Shorter lead times, great communication with your manufacturer, not having to fly your product from the other side of the world, so a lower carbon footprint, the ability to go and visit the manufacturer so you can keep an eye on your quality, and actually the flexibility to not have to buy a huge amount of stock... China is going to be cheaper, particularly if you're not out there visiting the factory and buying direct, but you're having to go through a middleman."
Speaker BioKate Hills is a seasoned professional with a background in design and buying. With over 25 years of experience, she has worked for renowned brands like Burberry and Marks and Spencer, witnessing the shift from UK manufacturing to overseas sourcing. Recognizing the potential disadvantages of relying solely on international production, Kate began to explore the idea of supporting local manufacturers
Kate Hills Linkshttps://makeitbritish.co.uk/british-brand-accelerator/
https://makeitbritish.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/makeitbritish/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katehills
5 Steps to Finding a UK Manufacturer mini course. Free with code NICOLE
https//www.makeitbritish.co.uk/5-steps
Nicole Higgins Linkshttps://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
How do you create a brand that connects so deeply with your customer? In today's episode, Nicole is joined by Sharon Keegan, the founder of fitness brand Peachylean, to discuss the remarkable journey and growth of the brand. They delve into the strategies behind creating a brand that deeply connects with customers, exploring Sharon's story, Dragons Den appearance, and the success of Peachylean.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Peachylean sells more than just activewear—it represents confidence. Sharon started the brand after feeling unseen and unsupported in the wellness industry due to her postnatal journey. After noticing the lack of imagery and suitable activewear for postnatal bodies, she wanted to provide suitable activewear and empower others in similar situations.
- Through her experience working with other brands, Sharon discovered the importance of staying true to your story, values, and authenticity. She believes that by building a community that aligns with your brand, you will consistently attract customers who resonate with your product and those customers will be there for the duration.
- Peachylean do not Photoshop imagery as they want to empower women's real body types and show imagery of real women. They want to show that there's nothing wrong with real women.
- One of the biggest things Sharon has learned is to keep on top of your cash flow, really understand when and how your money is coming in and out. Having only recently come out of a bit of trouble with this, Sharon would recommend elongating the timeframes that you expect cash to come in.
- Sharon built her brand's community by focusing on empowering individuals who often feel left behind. There are so many women who don’t get opportunities and support, those who may doubt themselves or feel stuck in life. Sharon believes that everyone needs someone who believes in them and she wants to be that person for others, giving them the confidence and strength to go after what they want.
- Sharon says it all begins with self-belief. Age or gender doesn't matter; anyone can start a business, even at 60. The biggest obstacle we face is often our own mind, doubting whether others will approve or criticise us. But here's the truth: "They," the ones we worry about, are usually just our own insecurities.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Stay true to what your core customer values and asks for’ ‘I was sat in McDonalds and got a phone call from Dragons Den’ ‘The video has 7 million views on YouTube’‘Don't forget, “They” don't pay your bills’‘Success can be anything you want it to be’‘I love stories, I love women’s stories and empowering them’
EPISODE RESOURCESPeachylean
P E A C H Y L E A N ®️ (@peachyleanofficial) • Instagram photos and videos
The Marketing Agency Sharon recommended - doodledevelopment.co.uk
ABOUT THE GUEST At the age of 33 founder and CEO of Peachylean, Sharon Keegan, became a new Mam and struggled with postnatal depression. Being no stranger to throwing herself into adversity, Sharon decided to go back and study Innovation and entrepreneurship in University College Dublin. This helped her to not only overcome her anxiety and postnatal depression, but also compelled her to help other women who were going through similar experiences.
After designing and experimenting with multiple products, Sharon realised that her passion was in physical and mental wellbeing. Having found huge solace in exercise throughout her most arduous times, Sharon decided to create a product that she couldn’t find on the market: supportive, comfortable, excellent quality leggings that would not only support a woman’s shape, but would also help give them the confidence and self-esteem to move for their mind. Sharon’s mission was simple, to help women to silence their inner critic, to stop holding themselves back and discover their true potential in life, and to ultimately love them 'Self.'
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
After selling her previous fashion brand, Nicki Hoyne launched her first collection of crossbody camera bags in October 2020 and she followed in 2021 with her footwear collection. Nicki has a wealth of experience in both the footwear and accessories industry, being nominated for multiple awards. That’s why she’s the perfect guest to join Nicole on this episode of Start Scale Succeed to share with you her knowledge through her life story.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Nicki thought that her launch in October 2020 couldn’t have been a worse time, but the opposite was true as people were looking for feel good inspiring stories. They naturally wanted to know about this Irish, sustainable, female led brand.
- Before the brand launched, Nicki spent 6 months posting mood boards as part of her brand storytelling journey and secretly hiding her shoes in the background of Instagram posts.
- Nicki Hoyne is the name of the brand because the brand is Nicki Hoyne, it has her passion and personality in its DNA. As a founder this allows you to just let the brand be an extension of your personality and that helps sell the story.
- One of the things Nicki found the hardest was the design drawings, this is why she likes to surround herself with people who are talented at what they do. She brought in someone who she can explain the designs to and they make the technical drawings.
- Nicki Hoyne is handmade in Spain by master craftspeople. All materials are sourced as close as possible to the factory. Their factories are Leather Working Group (LWG) certified and their recycled materials are certified Global Recycled Standard.
- Nicki’s biggest pieces of advice are that nobody cares what you’re doing, just go for it, got for it today! Why are you waiting? Get that plan together, get that budget together and start 6 months before you need to.
BEST MOMENTS
‘If you lived your life backwards it would all make perfect sense’
‘It’s all about timing selling a business’
‘I would love to work with other people, I’m working alone so much of the time’
‘Surround yourself with people who are better than you at the things you’re bad at’
‘What I’d say to anyone is to aim beyond where you think you should’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Nicki Hoyne
Nicki Hoyne (@nickihoynecollection) • Instagram photos and videos
Nicki Hoyne (@nickihoyne) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE GUEST
Nicki Hoyne launched her first collection of crossbody camera bags in October 2020. She followed in 2021 with her footwear collection.
Nicki is nominated as “One To Watch” at the Drapers Sustainability Awards 2023. She has been nominated as an Image Businesswoman Of The Year in 2023 & 2022. She won Irish Design Institute’s Rising Star 2021 and Runner Up in the Design & Craft Council Of Ireland (DCCI)’s Irish Business Design Challenge 2021. Nicki Hoyne has been stocked at Brown Thomas CREATE in Dublin and in Los Angeles, New York & London.
Nicki previously founded award winning online accessories store, My Shining Armour in 2014. It shipped to over 40 countries and appeared in Vogue, Cosmopolitan & Grazia. She is a TedxTalk speaker and had her own successful podcast, The Hero Podcast sharing inspiring stories.
Nicki is passionate about creating meaningful fashion accessories that are fun, unique and comfortable. She wants to inspire you to celebrate and cherish fashion, not just consume it and throw it away. She created her collection to bring you fun, quality designs with a conscience. We celebrate individuality, vibrancy and a passion for well made, slow fashion products. She hopes to one day have a fully sustainable fashion brand.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
Nicole is joined by Sam Smith, the founder of HELLO TIME and the creator of the HELLO TIME Planner that has transformed how people organise their lives. With a keen eye for innovation and a dedication to helping individuals achieve their full potential, Sam has become a leading figure in the world of productivity and time management. She’s on Start Scale Succeed to share her story and give you advice on starting a stationery brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The HELLO TIME Planner offers a practical and intuitive solution for organising your daily life. Its thoughtful layout allows for effortless management of tasks, work schedules, family commitments, to-do lists, notes, goals, and ideas. With its minimal design and adaptable structure, the planner provides ample space to declutter your thoughts, maintain your schedule, store information, jot down reminders, brainstorm ideas, and find clarity.
- A lot of us are spending our time not doing the things we love, we’re often in auto pilot. We have about 4000 weeks on this earth so people need to be organised to avoid wasting that time. That’s how HELLO TIME came about, Sam wanted to start a stationery brand that was more than just that, one that helped people and businesses manage their time better.
- One thing that was important to Sam when launching her brand was that the planner itself was made in the UK and was high quality. She had seen a lot of bright pink planners that didn’t look professional and weren't items you’d be proud of. Having manufacturing in the UK allowed her to keep the quality high while also being sustainable and supporting other local businesses.
- Wholesale can be scary because you have to sell a lot more due to the lower margins, but equally to build a business and a brand you need more people to know about it and you do that by getting the product out there. Not every product needs to go wholesale, be selective about which ones you choose.
BEST MOMENTS
‘After a time of helping others successfully build their brands, I decided to put myself on the other side of the fence’
‘I want to turn it into a brand that helps other people with running their business’
‘You’ve got everything you need to plan in there, that’s its USP’
‘I make use of every millimetre on the page so you can use that space’
‘There’s no perfect time, at some point you’ve got to jump’
EPISODE RESOURCES
HELLO TIME Planner & Time Gifting Stationery
Undated Planners & Time Saving Stationery (@hellotimeplanner) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE GUEST
Sam Smith is an experienced creative and branding specialist with over 27 years of design expertise. As the founder of HELLO TIME and creator of the HELLO TIME Planner, she has worked with various industries, from motorbikes to groceries, collaborating with multinational start-ups and small businesses alike.
With a focus on branding for print, digital, and environmental platforms, Sam has partnered with renowned brands like Virgin, Chinawhite, Mars, and McDonald's. Her approach combines creativity and brand-savvy strategies to deliver tangible commercial results.
In 2009, Sam established Alilia, a design studio and art range commissioned by global interior clients. Sam was also chosen as a Heal's Discovers artist, featuring their work in-store and online.
In 2018, after supporting others in building successful brands, Sam founded HELLO TIME following a period of burnout. Today, HELLO TIME continues to thrive under her leadership, marking four years of progress.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
If you’re an existing product business, chances are you'll make an average 50% of your yearly sales in that last quarter, with a substantial part coming in the lead-up to Christmas. How can you capitalise on that and drive more people to your site? Increase your exposure so that people buy more products? Today Nicole is joined by Rosie Davies, founder of PR Dispatch, and they are going to be talking about getting press coverage for your business, particularly focusing on Christmas and getting into gift guides.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When pitching your product business to journalists the key thing you need to include is good imagery. Include high-quality product images or videos that can be used alongside the article, making it more visually appealing. You also want to include some Lifestyle shots and some Behind the Brand shots to show off who you are.
- It can be scary reaching out to someone for press coverage but it can be as simple as identifying a journalist who regularly posts features which fit within your niche. Then getting in touch with them and saying what your business does, who you are, and why it’s relevant. If you have a personal story to tell the better. This is who I am and how I overcame this problem.
- To get your product into the Christmas lists and publications you really need to be pitching yourself in July. Monthly magazines will be compiling between July and September, weekly publications will be compiling between September and the end of October. Then the dailies and online will be compiled from October to just before Christmas.
- Look at last year's gift guides, you’ll be surprised how many categories your product will actually fit into.
- Themes that come up every year are gifts under certain price points, secret Santa gifts, stocking fillers, her, him, kids. You also see changing themes such as in 2020 there were lists for people who had started working from home. Most will be from small businesses but some lists are only small companies or ethical and sustainable brands.
- Don’t find the contacts yourself, get access to press contacts databases because the person doing the lists will change pretty much every year.
BEST MOMENTS
‘You are never ever too small to do PR. You should be doing PR for the lifetime of your business’ ‘Journalists are looking for interesting stories and you’re helping them’‘Last year there were over 29,000 products featured in Christmas gift guides’ ‘About 60% of those products are just from small businesses’ ‘It’s not about sales, it’s about brand awareness’
EPISODE RESOURCESPR Dispatch
Rosie | PR Memberships (@prdispatch) • Instagram photos and videos
PR Dispatch will be hosting a free workshop on the 29th of June at 10am, covering How to use the summer to get press for Christmas 2023. Register your free place here.
Join PR Dispatch for the Christmas gift guide membership tour 10am, on 6th July to to guarantee a 2023 Christmas gift guide PR membership. Book your space on the tour here. You can learn more about PR Dispatch's fastest-selling Christmas gift guide PR membership here.
Watch PR Dispatch's ''10 steps to getting your products featured in the Christmas gift guides'' workshop. Access here.
Want your e-commerce business to reach thousands of new people this Christmas? PR Dispatch has written this piece explaining how you can, for free.
ABOUT THE GUEST Rosie Davies-Smith is the founder of PR Dispatch, the UK’s first affordable PR membership platform supporting over 450 product-based e-commerce businesses to do their PR in-house.
After running a PR agency for over a decade, Rosie founded PR Dispatch in 2017 to give brands the insights, support and press contacts they need to succeed in PR for just 3% of PR agency retainer fees. Members include startup founders that do it themselves, established brands that delegate their PR to their team and in-house marketing teams at larger e-com businesses.
Thousands of pieces of both product and profile press have been generated through PR Dispatch. PR memberships start at £60/mo.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line. She now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses.
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
GET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/
Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
This show was brought to you by Progressive Media
How do you actually succeed? How do we create a process in ourselves to allow us to grow and connect with our desires? Nicole is joined on this landmark 100th episode by success coach Charlotte Pridmore who helps entrepreneurial women through positive human design, the combination of human design and positive intelligence. Together they will be discussing how understanding human design can help you in your business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Human Design is a system that combines astrology, the I Ching, the Kabbalah, the chakra system, and quantum physics to understand an individual's unique energetic makeup and life purpose. It provides insights into personality traits, strengths, and ways of functioning in the world. Using birth data, Human Design generates a body graph that guides decision-making, relationships, and personal growth.
- The aim of Human Design is to empower individuals to align with their authentic selves and make choices in harmony with their true nature.
- Your body knows the answer to every question. We’ve all had that gut feeling about someone, something, or a decision which you've overridden in your head and things have all gone wrong. Charlotte has learned to trust that feeling over her head.
- In Human Design, there are several different types, each representing a unique energetic blueprint and approach to life. The five main types are: Manifestor: They have a powerful, initiating energy and are here to bring ideas and innovations into the world. Manifestors are independent and have the ability to impact and influence others.
- Generator: They have a sustainable and abundant life force energy. Generators are designed to respond to life's opportunities and engage in work and activities that they feel a genuine passion for.
- Projector: They have a focused and penetrating energy, able to deeply understand and guide others. Projectors are here to offer guidance and wisdom, but they need to be recognised and invited by others to share their insights.
- Reflector: They have a highly sensitive and reflective energy. Reflectors are rare, and their role is to mirror the health and well-being of the community they are in. They offer a unique perspective and insights into the collective.
- Manifesting Generator: They combine the qualities of Manifestors and Generators. Manifesting Generators have a fast and creative energy, often juggling multiple projects and interests. They are designed to respond to life's opportunities while also initiating action.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Being inwardly successful allows it to outwardly manifest’ ‘My intuition kept pulling me back to it’ ‘It’s a took to help you understand yourself more and how you work from an energetic perspective’‘I won’t push something now, it has to feel good to me’ ‘Manifesting generators are like the jet skis, generators are the steamboat’
EPISODE RESOURCESCharlotte Pridmore
One To One - Charlotte Pridmore
CHARLOTTE Success Mentor (@charlotte_pridmore) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The first ever guest on Start Scale Succeed, Moira Fuller returns to episode 99 of the podcast to tell Nicole all about how she sold her subscription box business. Moira is a business coach who helps small business owners boost profitability and create breathing space through online and one-to-one coaching. Listen in to find out about the process of selling a small business, how to know when it’s the right time to sell, preparing your business for sale, negotiating price, and so much more helpful advice.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- In Moira’s initial approach to selling her business she started with very informal conversations with other businesses who might be interested. It was only after this stage that she had more of a prepared pitch with facts and figures.
- Working with a broker was something Moira knew she could do if she needed, but felt that she could do many of the things they offered for a high fee by herself. Many of them were offering to get her three times what she thought the business was worth which she felt was unrealistic.
- The valuations for buying a whole business are 2 to 3 times the net profit of the business averaged across the last few years. The idea being that someone can get their investment back within 3 years.
- From starting the process to completing the sale it took Moira around 6 months to sell her business. Timescales can vary depending on the scale of the business. You also have to remember that you’re going to put hundreds of hours of work into the sale.
- When you’re looking at selling your business you need to already be implementing systems and processes so the business can run without you. If you are what makes your business work then why would an investor want to buy it and remove you from the picture.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I explored working with a broker but it reminded me of working with an estate agent’‘If you can show you have high customer retention, that shows value’ ‘I wanted to sell to someone who I knew the team would get on well with’ ‘Get your business ready to sell’
EPISODE RESOURCESWebsite: https://www.moirafuller.co.uk/
Newsletter: https://www.moirafuller.co.uk/newsletter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moirafuller_
ABOUT THE GUEST Moira Fuller works with small business owners to create more breathing space and profitability in their business, with online and one-to-one coaching.
She’s run multi-six-figure businesses, including her subscription box, which sent tens of thousands of boxes to her subscribers, but started with just 22 in the first month - grown with profits from the business, before being sold.
She coaches an aligned way to grow, giving founders more focus on strategic, exciting projects, and less time on the hamster wheel of day-to-day tasks.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Vicky Shilling, The Wellbeing Business Mentor and author of Just Start Now, a guide to unlocking your entrepreneur mindset and growing your wellness business. We are going to be primarily chatting about using email marketing to grow your business and what strategies you can use. Listen in for tips on how to convert subscribers into paying customers, strategies for increasing email open and click-through rates, what to avoid in email marketing, and so much more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Having your own mailing list is your way of having your own data on your customers and potential customers. It’s your own way of communicating with them and is entirely yours as opposed to social media where you’re at the mercy of someone else’s decisions and changes to the algorithm.
- Vicky’s top 5 tips for growing your list are: 1. Incentive - Entice people to join the list with some kind of freebie or discount or some content with added value. If it is content, does it solve a problem they have?
-
- Talk about that incentive everywhere - Make sure all of your potential audience knows about this and what your list can offer them. Put it on your socials and in your podcast ect.
-
- Get in front of new people - Once your current audience knows about your incentive, how can you push that to a new set of people?
-
- Send really great emails - Your list will grow if people are finding it useful and people within your circle are sharing it. We need to know the person on the other side of the email and curate the content towards them and their needs.
-
- Concentrated effort - Plan specific timings for when you’re really pushing your email list, this could be monthly, quarterly, when you have a new incentive, make pushing your list a real focus for a period of time.
- Success requires persistence, the people you see achieving their version of success in life and in their chosen fields. They are the people who just keep going, for Vicky it’s only 20% skill and 80% being able to pick yourself back up again.
BEST MOMENTS
‘A really good email is one that serves the customer you’re trying to help’ ‘You need to believe in yourself to make it work’‘If social media disappeared tomorrow you’d have no way of contacting those people’ ‘Even in 2023 it’s still the most effective online marketing method’
EPISODE RESOURCESHomepage: Business mentor for wellness entrepreneurs | Vicky Shilling
52 ways to grow your email list
Podcast: Just Start Now Podcast - Vicky Shilling
Book: https://vickyshilling.com/book
Instagram: https://instagram.com/vicky.shilling
Facebook: Vicky Shilling
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vickyshilling
ABOUT THE GUEST Vicky Shilling is the Wellness Business Mentor, helping health practitioners turn their expertise into income. She is dedicated to making wellbeing solopreneurship as simple and supported as possible in a world of advice overwhelm. She shares tips and straight-talking action steps through her Just Start Now book and award nominated podcast, community and 1:1 mentoring.
Vicky is a respected voice in the world of business for health professionals and guest teaches at many of the nutrition and health colleges including the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM), IINH and the Institute for Optimum Nutrition (ION), where her book is on many of the recommended reading lists.
She is a regular guest on podcasts and speaks at wellness based events in the UK, Ireland and online about turning your passion for health into a career, including Thrive Festival and Fitness & Wellness Summit in Dublin and The Nutrition Society and Nutrition Graduates online.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined on Start Scale Succeed by Jason Withers, a Certified Profit First Professional Coach and the only officially recognised Profit First Guide for the UK. They dive into the topic of using the Profit First cash management system in your business to maximise profitability. Drawing from his 25+ years of commercial experience as a business coach, consultant, and CFO, Jason shares valuable insights and strategies for implementing Profit First.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The Profit First cash management system is a financial framework developed by Mike Michalowicz. It aims to help businesses prioritise profitability and improve their financial health. The system advocates for setting aside profit first rather than considering it as an afterthought.
- The core concept is based on the idea of allocating income into different bank accounts, each serving a specific purpose. These accounts include, in order of priority are Profit, Owner's Compensation, Tax, and Operating Expenses. So they are reward based first, then protection based, then service based last.
- Profit First provides a clear and practical framework for business owners to manage their finances effectively. It helps in creating a healthy financial ecosystem where profit becomes a priority, allowing businesses to thrive and grow.
- By implementing the Profit First system, businesses ensure that profit is protected and allocated before any expenses are paid. This approach encourages business owners to focus on profitability and make intentional financial decisions. It helps to ensure that the business is consistently profitable and sustainable.
- The system also emphasises cash flow management and expense control. By examining expenses closely and making necessary adjustments, businesses can better allocate resources and increase their overall profitability.
- Vital, Negotiable, and Cut is a productivity concept used to categorise tasks based on their importance and priority. Vital tasks are high-priority activities directly contributing to goals, while negotiable tasks are important but flexible. Cut tasks are low-value or non-essential activities that should be minimised or eliminated.
BEST MOMENTS‘Turnover is vanity and profit is sanity’ ‘Business owners don’t pay themselves what they should because they don’t trust the money in their bank account’‘It’s about understanding where we are and moving towards those targets’ ‘No business misses 1%’
EPISODE RESOURCESInstagram
Facebook - Profit First Pro - Jason Withers
Jason A Withers
ABOUT THE GUEST
Jason is a Certified Profit First Professional Coach since 2019, specialising in helping owner-managed and entrepreneurial businesses implement the Profit First cash management system. With over 25 years of commercial experience as a business coach, consultant, and CFO, he helps business owners improve profitability through strategic and tactical financial support. As the only officially recognized Profit First Guide for the UK, Jason mentors and coaches other UK-based Profit First Professionals. He empowers business owners to gain clarity, certainty, and mastery over their money using the Profit First system, enabling them to prioritise paying themselves and make informed financial decisions for accelerated growth and profitability. Jason believes that every business owner deserves to be financially rewarded for their efforts, providing them with greater choices and a positive impact on their personal, business, and social life.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Founder of the Sleep Care Company, Anne Marie Boyhan joins Nicole on this episode of Start Scale Succeed to discuss the importance of sleep and how better sleep leads to more success as an entrepreneur. Anne Marie shares her own personal story with sleep and tells you how you can improve your quality of rest to help you achieve and succeed in business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Exposure to blue light (and white light, which contains blue light) can make it difficult for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Exposure to white light during the day can have positive effects, including boosting alertness and mood.
- Some of our most important ‘heavy lifting’ while sleeping is done between 10:30 pm and midnight. This produces our growth hormone which affects beauty sleep, cell repair, and fat breakdown. Beauty sleep isn’t just a saying.
- Between 1 and 3 am our liver is doing a lot of its detoxifying which is vital for cleaning our bodies. If we’re not getting sleep during those hours then it’s like your office isn’t being cleaned overnight.
- The signs that you might be sleep deprived are brain fog, a hangover feeling, hunger even after eating, and not having enough concentration to get through daily tasks. When you don’t get enough sleep it also releases stress in your body.
- Most of us can’t just jump into bed and sleep, we know that we need a buffer of time to wind down and get ready for sleep. This could be as simple as lighting a candle and listening to a podcast, doing some reading, or just brushing your teeth. The routine triggers your brain to think it’s time to sleep.
- If you want to sleep well then avoid coffee and tea, even if your last cup was at 4om, it will stay in your body until 11pm. Swap them out for decaf versions in the evening and afternoon. You should also avoid vigorous exercise which raises your body temperature before bed.
BEST MOMENTS
‘To set ourselves up for sleep success should be our number one goal in our wellbeing’
‘If you have less than 4 hours sleep then it’s like you’re going to work drunk’
‘If we look at the top athletes in the world, they prioritise sleep to increase their performance’
‘Within an hour of waking get sunlight into your eyes’
EPISODE RESOURCES
The Sleep Care Company
The Sleep Care Co. (@thesleepcarecompany) • Instagram photos and videosABOUT THE GUEST “A few years ago my only focus in life was excelling professionally at my corporate career in marketing. It’s something I had worked hard for my entire life. I was working for C-Suite executives but I was burning the candle at both ends - I had young kids at home whom I never saw as I was working so much and was ‘always on’ working late into the night, often responding to emails in the middle of the night and managing a team in a stressful job during the day.
I lived on coffee to keep my energy going and in a bid to try and wind down I'd often have wine after work and always felt tired and wired. All of the time my sleep suffered- I was lucky if I slept 4 hours a night. My insomnia was relentless. One day I fell over, I couldn’t focus and went to my doctor who ran some blood tests on me. When my bloods came back ‘all clear’ over the phone he told me that I was sleep deprived and was burning out. That was the kick I needed. What I realised was what I wanted was to have a career where I was able to prioritise my family.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is chatting to Lucy Hitchcock founder of not just one business, but two, service business Sassy Digital and pandemic born business Partner in Wine. In 2021 Lucy posted a viral video on TikTok, racking up half a million views in 12 hours and saw an item in her store selling every two minutes. Sales increased by 1,700 percent in a single day, which turned into sustained five-digit revenue every month. She's on Start Scale Succeed to tell the story of how that happened and the journey that took her there.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Lucy, who was 23 years old at the time, resigned from her job and started working with small businesses to improve their digital marketing, branding, and website design as well as e-commerce strategies. As a result, she has helped countless small businesses in boosting their online sales.
- In the midst of the worldwide pandemic, Lucy came up with the idea of producing an insulated wine bottle and tumbler. This idea was sparked by her disappointment with a lukewarm glass of wine while enjoying time with her closest friend in the park. The aim was to help herself and other wine enthusiasts enjoy a socially distanced drink in the park more comfortably.
- During March 2021, Lucy shared her journey on TikTok, resulting in a viral video that hit 500,000 views within 12 hours and triggered a sale every two minutes. This led to a 1,700% surge in sales in a single day, which was sustained in the following months, generating five-figure revenue each month. Partner in Wine had generated £30,000 in 2020. By the end of 2021, this number had skyrocketed to over 8 times the initial figure.
- One of Lucy’s key pieces of advice is that using someone else's expertees allows the job to be done in a fraction of the time it would have taken you to do. This also means that in a product business, the product can get to market quicker and start generating revenue for you quicker.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I get my positivity from both of my parents, they say not to worry about things that haven't happened yet’
‘What do you do when you’re super busy? You start another business of course’
‘I would account the success of the business to being in the right place and the right time’
‘If you don’t love your idea then don’t do it as a business’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Viral Video
Partner in Wine
Sassy Digital
ABOUT THE GUEST
Lucy Hitchcock is an entrepreneur, marketeer and Founder of Sassy Digital and Partner in Wine.
After leaving her job at 23 years old to work with small businesses on their digital marketing, branding and website and e-commerce design, she’s since helped hundreds of small businesses make more sales online.
During the global pandemic, after a disappointingly warm glass of wine in the park with her best friend, Lucy decided to create an insulated wine bottle and tumbler to help her and so many other wine lovers enjoy a socially distanced drink in the park.
Since starting the business, and using her marketing expertise to grow a large social media following and most importantly sales, in just 16 months Partner in Wine has quickly become Sassy Digital’s best case study.
In March 2021, Lucy shared her story on TikTok, leading to a viral video which racked up half a million views in 12 hours and saw an item selling every two minutes. Sales increased by 1,700 percent in a single day, which turned into sustained five-digit revenue every month.
In 2020, after five months of launching, Partner in Wine had turned over £30,000. By the end of 2021, this figure was over 8 times that.
Lucy and her businesses have been profiled by the BBC News, Mail Online, Business Insider, The Sun, Daily Express, and was featured in TikTok’s Year on TikTok 2021 list. She has since worked with a number of brands on partnerships including Waitrose, SAGE for business, Royal Mail for Business, Aldi, and Adobe.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do you want to launch a beauty brand in the UK? Or perhaps you already have one and are looking to grow that business? This week's episode of Start Scale Succeed is a recording of a live webinar Nicole hosted with four beauty experts where they spoke about brand identity, PR, pitching to retailers, customer reviews and testimonials and how they can help you with your business, and so much more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Brand identity goes beyond just your logo, just because you have a product and a logo it doesn't make a brand. Brand ID is about crafting a DNA that goes beyond the here and now and leaves a lasting impression on your customer even after purchase.
- You can build a relationship between your brand and your customer by using social listening, being authentic with your content, promoting your founder story to let people connect with your story. Passion, purpose, and honesty are all things that can drive a community.
- The relationships between brands and consumers have changed in many ways. People are now more likely to share their love and promote a brand they align with, with no incentive from the brands’ side. Consumers are now also much more intelligent when it comes to buying from brands, they pick up on the ethics and social presence in a way which was never considered before.
- The Three C’s for social growth are valuable content, connection, and consistency. You need to be aware of how your brand and message are getting out there and if they are actually being understood when they’re seen.
- When using product testers for the first time, send them to a wide range of people so you can find out who really loves the product and connects with it. This can be very useful for beauty brands because people's needs are often different, and you can build a niche around the feedback.
- Margin percentages can vary from between 40/45 percent for indie boutiques to 60 percent in the larger retailers. Look at what they’re offering you for that percentage and get another set of eyes and ears to help you decide if that works for you.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Disproportionate passion builds a brand, the killer of a brand is indifference’
‘Indie brands drive communities, bigger brands drive fan bases’
‘Think of your PR as your brand storyteller’
‘Consumers are driven by information, education, and emotion’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Wendy Slattery
www.poweredxbeautybuddy.com
www.instagram.com/thebeautybuddyapp
Jacqui Ripley
www.instagram.com/jacquiripley
Faye Speedie
https://beautybulb.co.uk/
www.instagram.com/beautybulb
Linda Land
www.musecomms.co.uk
www.instagram.com@muse_communications
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Laura Nolan Horgan, founder of LNH EDIT. This is a bit of a 360 podcast as Nicole chatted with Laura just as she launched her brand in Episode 9, now they catch up 2 years on. They’ll be discussing how the business has grown in that time, Laura’s biggest successes so far, as well as keeping a positive mentality as a business owner.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- LNH EDIT is a creative collection of fashion and homeware. Laura believes that every home and every person should surround themselves with little things that make them happy, so that’s why she started LNH EDIT two years ago.
- Not everyone’s business plan works out exactly as they had hoped for. Laura has had to bring in additional support to fill in the gaps in her skill set earlier than she had planned for. Right now she has brought in someone else to run her Instagram page to get the most out of it. She also brought in help packing orders as it was taking up too much of her time.
- Laura initially wanted to be an online focused business with occasional pop up stores. In the time since she was last on the podcast she has opened a HQ for LNH EDIT which is the business hub as well as a showroom. This space can be used for easy cost effective pop ups which she also invites other people to be involved with.
- Laura thinks that setting up the HQ cottage is her biggest achievement so far and can see how much it’s helped her business keep up with orders and having everything under one roof.
- LNH EDIT launch their seasonal products well in advance, the Christmas items go live before Halloween. This means that the items have longer to sell and Laura is left with less stock left over.
- Remember that you own your email lists, if the social media you use went out of business tomorrow, you’d lose your connection to your customers. But if you properly grow your email lists you have direct communication to them without a third party being involved.
BEST MOMENTS
‘We were up until 1am in our kitchen fulfilling orders so we had to bring in help’
‘It’s nice being a smaller business because you can pivot when you need to’
‘People want new all the time, I’m always looking to what’s next’
‘Our email marketing is bigger than Instagram now’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.lnhedit.com
www.instagram.com/lauranolanhorgan
www.instagram.com/lnh_edit
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Return guest Roo Davies, The Mojo Coach, joins Nicole today on Start Scale Succeed to discuss imposter syndrome. They’ll be talking about what imposter syndrome is, how it can show up, how it can sabotage you and your business, and most importantly what you can do about it. Find out what the 5 types of imposter syndrome are, how to spot them, and how to move away from them towards having a killer mindset.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- There are 5 types of imposter syndrome, first is The Perfectionist - “Perfectionism” is often listed as a key indicator of imposter syndrome, so it’s common that people who experience one also experience the other. Perfectionists typically set very high expectations for themselves and that even if they meet 99% of those goals, a small loss will feel like a large failure. When mistakes happen, perfectionists question their core competence, which can easily translate to feelings of imposter syndrome.
- The Natural Genius - The “natural genius” has been top of the class for as long as they can remember, and in their school days, success came relatively easily. As they grow and mature, however, they are bound to encounter scenarios where achievement doesn’t present itself as second nature, and hard work or struggle is required for their desired results. As they aren’t used to this, natural geniuses tend to suffer from imposter syndrome, feeling that the struggle to meet their goals is a sign that they lack ability and aren’t “good enough.”
- The Expert - If you’re an “expert” type, you probably prefer to spend time researching and gathering as much information as possible before you start a new project. You like to come into something new from a position of knowledge and expertise, and you probably regularly spend time looking for ways to improve your skill set or undergo extra training. However, this drive to become an “expert” can trigger imposter syndrome, holding you back from applying for jobs if you don’t meet all the criteria in the description, or preventing you from speaking up in a seminar because you’re afraid that your answer won’t be perfectly informed.
- The Superhero - “Superheroes” push themselves to work harder than everyone around them to prove that they’re not imposters. Their expectations for themselves are higher than their expectations of others, and they feel a sometimes overwhelming need to succeed in every element of their life – at work and at home. Their feelings of imposter syndrome will be triggered when one of these areas is not as strong as another. Working harder than others to prove your worthiness, or to cover up feelings of being an imposter, can quickly lead to burnout, and be detrimental to your mental health.
- The Soloist - These kinds of “imposters” struggle to reach out when they need assistance, as they feel getting help with a task invalidates their contribution or shows that their own skillset is in some way lacking. Knowing when to ask for help is a vital skill, not only in work but in life too. Asking for help is never a weakness – in fact, knowing ourselves well enough to understand when help is required can be one of our greatest strengths. It’s far more efficient, after all, to ask for help with a task than it is to spend twice as long struggling through by ourselves.
- The most useful thing of quieting your imposter syndrome voice is to be aware of it. People focus on the outcome, the fear itself, but you need to be thinking about what is causing those thoughts. What is causing that negative mental chatter? Start small with baby steps, it doesn’t need to be within your business, you can learn to tackle these things in everyday life first.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Perfectionism and procrastination are best friends’
‘Imposter syndrome affects over 70% of us in our lifetime’
‘You can do anything, but you can’t do everything’
‘How are you sabotaging yourself? What opportunities are you missing out on?’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/roodavies_themojocoach
www.themojocoach.com
Imposter Syndrome Is Real – Here’s How to Kick it the Curb - The Mojo Coach
ABOUT THE GUEST
Roo Davies is the go-to coach in the UK if you want to find your Passion, Positivity & Purpose. If you’re looking to rediscover your mojo, build your confidence and make things happen, she's your gal!
Roo is a pretty unique coach as she wears a few hats… Life Coach, Business Coach, Leadership Coach, Strengths Coach and a Mentor. Whatever hat she’s wearing she helps her clients thrive in their personal, professional and business life. Roo is a qualified behavioural change coach, holds a PG Cert in Coaching and is accredited with the Institute of Leadership & Management and the Association for Coaching.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is talking to Martin Durrant, mental resilience and wellbeing advocate and the founder of Out of The Grey. They’ll be chatting and giving you advice on building resilience, managing stress, and coping strategies. You’ll also get to hear Martin’s incredible story of fighting off illness all while keeping a positive mindset.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- In 2014 after 8 years of things going wrong with his body, Martin was finally diagnosed with MS. He felt this was a relief because he finally knew what was wrong with him and through finding the charity Overcoming Multiple Sclerosis, he was able to change his life for the better, not just with his health but also his diet and mental wellbeing.
- In 2021 Martin was told he had a brain tumour and because of its location, although it was operable, after surgery he’d be paralysed on his left-hand side. Martin had to learn to eat, walk, and talk again.
- Martin is actually grateful that he had MS, because if it wasn’t for this and his yearly brain scans, he would never have known about the tumour and lived to tell his story.
- When he was on the ward recovering from his surgery, Martin was the cheerleader, cheering up and keeping his fellow patients spirits high. From this experience he decided that’s what he wanted to do for a living.
- Mental resilience is the ability to bounce back and not dwell on a situation. If something bad happens, it’s okay to feel sad, resilience is the ability to get back out of that state after an appropriate amount of time.
- You can have depression and have good mental resilience, that resilience allows you to identify your feelings and actually gives you the ability to seek help easier and faster.
- Create an environment where you are looking after yourself first and foremost. Diet, exercise, having a positive mental attitude, these things do actually improve your mental health. Even if it’s just a 15 minute walk or fitting some meditation into your day.
- If you give acts of kindness, it releases serotonin into your brain and makes you feel good. It doesn’t have to be a huge action, even small ones can have a big impact.
BEST MOMENTS
‘You should be your biggest fan, not your biggest critic’
‘7 - 11 breathing is my number one trick’
‘I’ve never been a victim, I’ve never let my mindset be that’
‘Be kind to yourself, trust yourself, you’ve got the abilities’
‘I was more worried about not being able to drive than having a brain tumour’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Overcoming MS
Martin on LinkedIn
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today's episode of Start Scale Succeed is a recording of an instagram with Louisa Tidy, the founder of Floragy, a natural skincare brand founded in 2019. Louisa started the company looking to rebalance her life after an exhausting retail career travelling and working too many hours. After a few years of testing and developing formulas, she launched Floragy with the ethos that ‘less is more’ keeping their ingredients to a minimum and using only key botanicals.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Louisa suffered from dry skin but as she got older she found she needed extra protection during the colder months. After some extensive research and experimenting, Louisa created recipes for skincare products which her skin reacted well to and she preferred over her usual products.
- As a smaller brand you don’t have the buying power to source the products and work with suppliers that fit into your standards and ethics at a price you can afford.
- Etsy charges a percentage of your total sales but one of the advantages to using it is that there are no contracts between you and the website so you’re free to sell elsewhere too.
- The biggest challenge Louisa has faced is not knowing where to spend money. Does she spend more on the website or on photography, what is going to give her the best return for her investment.
- Make sure you have confidence in what you’re doing, your product, and your service. Don’t be tempted to get lost in what your competitors are doing, if you’re getting good feedback then keep focused on your brand ideals.
BEST MOMENTS
‘There’s always more we can do to work with local suppliers’
‘Putting your brand out there is like putting yourself out there personally’
‘I’m not as much of a risk taker as I’d like to think’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Floragy Skincare
ABOUT THE GUEST
"I was exhausted after a full on career travelling and working too many hours and wanted to take some time to rebalance my life. I’d always suffered from dry skin but as I’ve got older I’ve found I need extra protection during the colder months. After some extensive research and experimenting I created a few recipes for skincare products which my skin reacted well to, and I preferred over my usual products. I noticed how expensive natural skincare could be to buy and wanted to create a range of products which were accessible to everyone while maintaining a natural ingredient list which was easy to understand."
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today’s episode is centred around giving you advice on growing your business with ChatGPT. To do that Nicole is joined on Start Scale Succeed by founder of Mother Cuppa Tea, Candice Mason. If you’re new to AI, then this is the perfect place to start as we’ll be discussing what ChatGPT is, what it can do for your business, how to use it, and what its limitations are.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When Candice launched Mother Cuppa Tea she was aware that she had to build an audience through a pre-launch strategy. This led her to doing the social media marketing including the planning, captioning, editing. She had help from two other people writing blogs and writing content for the website. That is a lot of hours of work for three people to do, which could have been reduced with AI.
- ChatGPT is a website powered by artificial intelligence that can write content for you on almost any subject for any format you need. It is popular above other similar services because you can add a tone or style to the pieces it creates.
- Candice personally likes to use Jasper, rather than ChatGPT because it suits her needs and personal style. There are so many companies doing AI generated content now, even Canva.
- You can use services like ChatGPT to generate keywords for you and do research into your potential audience in the pre-launch phase of your business. You can literally go on there and type ‘what do people who like herbal tea also like’ and it will give you information you can use.
- You can spend anywhere from £25 to £300 for someone to write a blog for you, but by using AI and then editing in her own personality, Candice publishes two blog posts a week taking a fraction of the time at no cost.
- Google Search Console is a free service offered by Google that helps you monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot your site's presence in Google Search results.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I knew nothing about keywords before I started this business’
‘Even though it is creating a lot of the content, I’m going back and adding in my own personality’
‘I’m using this to give Google as much information as possible to boost my rankings’
‘Don’t be scared of AI, it’s not going away it’s just getting better’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Mother Cuppa Tea
https://www.instagram.com/mother_cuppatea/
AI links
https://www.jasper.ai/
https://chatgpt.com/#/
https://www.canva.com/magic-write/
https://answerthepublic.com/
https://search.google.com/search-console/about
ABOUT THE GUEST
“I am Candice, founder of Mother Cuppa - and yes, it’s an intentional play on words! I am mother to a stroppy but adorable teen and wife to James, a husband who has yet to fully learn how to turn the washing machine on and whose idea of cooking dinner is re-heating something I made the night before!
Like many of you I seem to be in a state of semi-midlife crisis, when children are growing, hormones are changing and yet the pace of life appears to get busier.
I wanted to use my knowledge from training as a tea sommelier and my interest in plant power to help other women, just like me and to establish something for myself, that inspires me, fits with my values and that I 100% believe in!”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today, host Nicole is joined by Nicole Giordano, founder of StartUp FASHION, an online community and business resource helping independent startup fashion designers around the world to take action, make progress, and reach their entrepreneurial goals. Nicole Giordano is on Start Scale Succeed this week to talk all about your pre-launch content strategy.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- One of Nicole Giordano’s top tips for your pre-launch strategy is to embrace the idea that you have to start the marketing process way before you have anything to sell. She sees people with their heads down in product development and then wondering why their launch failed.
- Any content strategy has to begin with a very clear understanding of your ideal customer. Really zoom in on the word ‘ideal’ because this is where you decide who to serve with your product and who your content should be greed towards.
- Get clear on your pre-launch goals and develop content specifically for achieving those goals. The three goals Nicole develops with her clients are racing people, converting people, and finally nurturing people.
- One of the most effective ways Nicole has seen recently of business owners actually getting potential customers to sign up to their mailing list pre-launch is to create a quiz. Make sure the title is clear and that you’re actually making a quiz that they care about.
- Ask yourself these questions about your ideal customer and then use that information to make content for them. What do they value, how do they spend their time, what do they care about, etc.
- Six months before your product launches you should be out there building a community. There is no such thing as too soon and if you’re waiting until 3 months before launch you might have waited too long.
BEST MOMENTS
‘When you launch they should feel like they know you and you know them’
‘Give them a reason to be on your mailing list’
‘Ask yourself what is the brand I’m building’
‘Your superpower in the the pre-launch phase is that you’re not trying to sell them anything’
‘You don’t have to post every day, just bring them on the journey’
EPISODE RESOURCEShttps://startupfashion.com/
StartUp FASHION® • Nicole, Fashion Business Coach (@startupfashion) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE GUEST Hey, I’m Nicole. I’m the founder of StartUp FASHION. I began this business because I wanted to create a place for designers who cared more about building a business than creating a fashion label. And by that I mean, those designers who have entrepreneurial dreams and the determination to bring them to life.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are you planning on selling your product business in the future? Do you want to have a better understanding of how it could be valued, what you should have in place, and what you need to know? If so you’re in luck because today Nicole is joined by Mark Fitzgerald Cooke, MD of Intelligent Business Partners, a UK based company who act as a broker for businesses that want to buy and sell companies from startups to multi million pound brands.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The top things Mark looks at when valuing a business are turnover, gross and net profit, and the ownership structure. The reason that last point is so important is because the more valuable an owner is to the business, the less valuable that business is.
- As a business owner looking to sell, you should make sure your business can run without you by having the right key staff in place. If you are the one doing a large part of the work, then whoever buys your business will have to replace you, making it a riskier investment.
- The value of the brand has to stand on its own and not be attached to you as an individual when you’re looking to sell your business. In cases where this does happen, there may be a period of time that the owner stays with the business after the sale.
- Before selling your business you need to make sure the following are addressed. Firstly your mindset, take a step back because it will be a huge change in your life. Secondly, make sure you know your finances, get them in order before looking to sell. Thirdly, look at your contracts, make sure your staff, HR, compliance, GDPR, client contracts, etc are all secure and up to date.
- Broadly speaking you’re looking at a timescale of six to eighteen months for your business to sell. This can obviously vary depending on industry, size of business, etc.
BEST MOMENTS
‘They will want to know the finances before they even meet the owner’
‘97% of people will never buy or sell a business and most will only do it once’
‘Remember that you can only sell what you can evidence’
‘One individual doesn't scale’
‘The number one killer of deals is time’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Company website https://www.intelligent.co.uk/
Email Mark mark.fc@intelligent.co.uk
Linked in https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-fitzgerald-cooke-a693662/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Laura Chambers, founder of Laura Chambers Cashmere. The two are going to be discussing her brand, why she set it up, and all the background and advice she can give to help you when it comes to starting and scaling your business. Listen in to find out the best advice Laura has ever received and the challenges she faced in the fashion industry.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Laura Chambers Cashmere began when Laura started casually knitting for herself after she closed her womenswear boutique, Tulle, Dublin, back in 2008. Laura ordered some yarn and started making pieces for herself on her knitting machine, which was last used when Laura was studying for a BA in fashion in NCAD in Dublin. This grew to knitting for family and friends and in 2016 she decided to take it to the next level and Laura Chambers the brand was born.
- Laura uses the finest quality Scottish Cashmere from Todd & Duncan in all of her pieces. Todd and Duncan is a long-established mill that dates back to 1867 and they were among the first to start spinning fine cashmere fibre. The cashmere they use originates from mountain dwelling goats that have adapted to the extreme temperatures of the Gobi Desert.
- Colour is really important to Laura and to her customers so she picks the most flattering and vibrant colours she can find. She gets inspiration from themes like glam rock or colours she sees out in nature. Green sells really well especially in the Irish market.
- Because Laura Chambers Cashmere knit locally, they can actually adjust things for their customers, giving them a more bespoke premium experience and maximising customer satisfaction. It’s about 50/50 made to order.
- The best piece of business advice Laura ever received was to do the Sive O’Brien three step brand magic course. Her advice really helped Laura take her business to the next level through Identifying her ideal customers.
- When it comes to influencers and gifting, you have to target the right people whose followers align with your brand. Just because someone has more followers that doesn’t mean it will generate more or even any sales.
BEST MOMENTS
‘If you can hear the knitting machine then don’t come in’
‘I don’t over think the business side because I’ve been around long enough’
‘It’s a beautiful quality and I wouldn’t compromise on that at all’
‘You need to find out who your customer is, what she likes and what she wants’
‘Your business isn’t viable if you’re not selling’
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.laura-chambers.com/
Instagram laurachambers_cashmere
SIVE OB Brand Marketing And Communications Consultant
ABOUT LAURA CHAMBERS CASHMERE
“Laura Chambers - feel good cashmere, hand loomed in Dublin using the highest quality Scottish and Italian cashmere to elevate and colour your everyday.
With a focus on beautiful, relaxed knitwear designed in sublime cashmere, in a spectrum of colours with incredible depth and vibrancy that will lift your spirits and inject bold colour into your wardrobe.
Our designs are classic in shape with a casual but modern design aesthetic. Each garment is given a twist with unusual block colour combinations and small but individual details on cuffs or necklines. Because each piece is hand loomed and hand finished the feel of the finished garment is one that is not the same as a factory produced cashmere.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
Link to my blog https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Rachel Waring, a creative consultant to talk all about Pinterest and how to make it work for you. Listen in for some really useful tips on what you can be doing differently on Pinterest, how the strategy differs from Instagrams, content repurposing, and most importantly how you can use it to grow your product business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The first place you should start when using Pinterest is knowing why people are there. Stop treating it like Instagram and start treating it like Google. It has social elements but is also a search engine.
- Imagine you’ve had a party and you’re likely to share photos and videos of the party on Instagram, Tik Tok, or Facebook. Pinterest is where you go to plan the party in the first place, it’s a future planning tool.
- Think about what your ideal customer is searching for on Pinterest and aim to meet them there. You can then take them from whatever thing in common that might be to your page where your content is already targeted to what they like.
- Remember that Pinterest likes fresh original content from their creators and that is what it will push or promote the most.
- Think strategically about what words you’re using. Every word you use will help Pinterest put you in the right categories for people's searches. We want to avoid keywords and to use real sentences instead.
- One of the things that is so amazing about Pinterest is that your pins are evergreen. One optimised pin could bring you traffic for years to come. Rachel is still getting 200,000 monthly views on a wedding pin from 2019.
BEST MOMENTS
‘My business could survive without Instagram but would struggle without Pinterest’
‘Pinterest is your vision board’
‘Make sure all of your boards are relevant to your ideal customer’
‘You don’t have to be on Pinterest all the time to get results’
‘You have to be patient with Pinterest’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Pinterest free challenge: https://rachel-emma-waring.ck.page/the-spark
1-1 packages: https://www.rachelemmawaring.com/creative-consultancy
Ignite Your Pinterest Strategy: https://www.rachelemmawaring.com/ignite-your-pinterest-strategy
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As a small business owner, you need to build those know, like, and trust factors with your audience. It's important that you are visible and show up in your business and to do that you are going to want imagery that's on brand and represents you. Today Nicole is chatting with Rosie Parsons, a personal branding photographer on why you should have personal branding photography, why it's important and how to prepare for a shoot.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Showing up to a client meeting or even creating your website with magazine-worthy photos will reinforce your personal brand and make an unforgettable impact. You'll give off a professional and legitimate vibe right from the start, unlike with those low-quality DIY shots, and stand out against your competitors.
- Rosie has 7 tips for preparing for a personal branding photoshoot, they are as follows. Reconnect with your brand. You can't afford to invest in a personal branding shoot without first being clear about your brand's purpose. How do you want to come across? What are your values? How would you describe your brand in three words? Your photographer will need to know all this so they can shoot your photos in a way that truly represents your one-of-a-kind brand.
- Be clear on the purpose of the shoot and prepare a shot list. do a proper brainstorm, and figure out exactly what type of pictures you need. Research your industry and the kinds of shots other people are doing, things like behind the scenes shots are always useful.
- Pick the right outfits and colours. Rosie tells her clients to bring eight or nine outfits so they can achieve a variety of looks and avoid a repetitive feel. Not just any outfits, though, Choose clothes that include your brand colours and that would pop against your preferred background. Avoid large or noticeable logos. Wear what you'd meet your ideal clients in. After all, your photos will be meeting them virtually 24/7.
- Choose some relevant props and a location that's on brand. You'll be the star of the show, but what's around you matters, too. You can't afford to leave it to chance. To reinforce your brand, run an inventory of all the props you'll need for specific shots. Discuss them with your photographer too, as they might already have a few in their studio.
- Put your best self forward (but stay authentic). Look your best but in a way that wouldn't shock your audience if they were to bump into you on the street.
- Relax and get some rest. You don't want to show up all wired and on edge after a massive caffeine fix. For the entire week leading up to your shoot, try and get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water. That way, your skin will be glowing, you'll be full of energy and you won't start stressing over those new bags under your eyes.
- Communicate with your photographer. Share everything with yours before the shoot, from your brand colours to the poses you need.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Get your face in the photos, you are your brand and part of the USP’
‘You can’t sell the fact you’re a family person if you’re not highlighting that with your photos’
‘If you’ve got a fun brand then play with what you can do with that’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Rosie Parsons Photography
Rosie Parsons | Personal Brand Photographer (@rosieparsonsphotography) • Instagram
HIYA MARIANNE - Rosie’s recommended photographer
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's podcast Nicole is joined by one of the cofounders of By Sarah London, a UK based B Corp skincare brand that was founded by Sarah and today’s guest Lauren to help stressed and sensitive skins, an idea that was born on the back of Laurens cancer diagnosis and subsequent own personal skincare difficulties.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Sarah first developed natural skincare to restore and repair her sister's sensitive, fragile skin when she was recovering from an aggressive form of leukaemia, with only a 20% chance of survival.
- After a life-saving stem cell transplant from Sarah, the sisters teamed up to launch By Sarah London with the purpose of transforming emotional wellbeing for sensitive, stressed skin.
- By Sarah London makes natural, science-led formulations strengthen the skin barrier and support the skin's microbiome to repair, regenerate and regain balance, through innovative plant oil formulas that deliver vital nutrients, enzymes, and lipids.
- They are handmade in the UK and developed with the highest quality, cold-pressed organic and upcycled plant oils, every drop is there for your skin to deliver long-lasting results. They avoid synthetic fragrances, essential oils and ingredients known to irritate sensitive skin.
- By Sarah London is a certified B Corp, meaning they are committed to safeguarding the planet and minimising their environmental impact.
- Top tip for By Sarah London’s hero facial oil is to apply to slightly damp skin to get the best results.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s great to see how the brand went from such an authentic place to other people’s lives’
‘At the time I didn't have the vocabulary for manifestation, it was just an intuitive step’
‘It’s like a superfood smoothie for your skin, that’s what put us on the map’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Bysarahlondon.com
Lauren Murrell - University of Oxford - London, England, United Kingdom | LinkedIn
BY SARAH LONDON (@bysarahlondon) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today’s Start Scale Succeed is a solo episode from Nicole where she tells you everything you need to know about wholesale. She’ll be discussing the four main questions you need to be asking yourself, the why, the where, the how, and the when. So if you’re looking to get into wholesale but have no idea what to expect when it comes to profit margins, trade fairs, and finding the right resellers, then this is the episode for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- A wider audience means increased sales and increased volume of orders and more exposure for your brand. So with that increased volume of orders, you could then hopefully renegotiate your cost prices from your supplier and make more margin. Increased exposure also leads to increased sales, but also you can leverage off new audiences who then may go directly to your own website to see what else you've got on offer rather than buying from that retailer.
- Some of the cons of wholesaling, you have less control of your stocks and your retail prices. You can give a suggested retail price, but if an item isn't working for a certain retailer and they need to mark it down, then they can do it. You'll make less margin.
- Another thing to be aware of is non-payment. Some smaller brands may have experienced in the past not being paid by a retailer. So if that retailer went into administration or liquidation, then they wouldn't have been paid. This was a big risk during the pandemic.
- Make sure that you're partnering with those that you know are secure financially. Nobody has a crystal ball, but you need to make sure that you've done your own bit of research and due diligence in terms of what's their past behaviour.
- Before you decide to wholesale, one of the key things that you need to look at is how you're setting your prices and what kind of margin you make. Do your research and see where your competitors are setting their prices and who are their stockists. How in demand is your product? How unique is it to the market? And what makes you different?
- Take into consideration not just your cost of goods, but the time it takes you to do everything and pack the products. This is all time and money. If you are making the products yourself, what time does that take? As your business scales, you would need to pay someone to do that. Make sure that you're building in those kinds of costs from the beginning.
- If you’re considering selling at a trade fair, make sure you go to it beforehand to make sure it’s the right place for your brand.
- Keep a wholesale tracker of who you contacted when you contacted them, what the outcome was, and then, diarize when you're going to contact them again so that you can refer to that weekly and keep that updated.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Everyone needs to make a piece of the pie’
‘Buyers need choice and variety’
‘Photography is key’
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are you spending several hours packing boxes and shipping orders? Surrounded by boxes in your living room, your sitting room running out of space to store your inventory, or you need more time to grow your business so that you're not focused on packing and picking? Then this episode is going to be a great one for you because Nicole is talking to Dean Johnson, founder of The Hubb, which provides a variety of services from marketing and fulfilment to SMEs. They’ll be covering everything that you need to know from who would be the right partner, the questions that you need to ask, and if you're already using a fulfilment partner and you need to switch, what should you be looking out for?
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- If you are focusing on the fulfilment and what to do with all these boxes, you're not focusing on growing the strategy that’s going to take your brand to that next level.
- Dean works with startups who have never packed an order in their lives. A lot of the time the only real charge you'll come up against is storage, but Dean works with them to minimise their storage, maximise their replenishment rate, and really understand their inventory management.
- Dean’s approach is to look at the founder and what they're trying to achieve and will produce a solution that fits around that. The Hubb has capacity allocated for people at all stages of their journey and that allows business owners to be flexible whether they are doing a handful of orders a month or hundreds a day.
- One of the questions that is overlooked a lot of the time is one about insurance. It's assumed that their stock will be insured, however what you'll find with fulfilment partners is that it’s quite complex insuring somebody else’s stock. A lot of the time you are responsible for your own insurance.
- Having someone that is delivering your postal experience the way you want it to be experienced is key. For example, if you were with a fulfilment centre like Amazon, it's coming in an Amazon box, that's it, that's all you are getting. But by having a more bespoke packing service you can dictate how it looks in and out of the box so you get the right unboxing experience for your customers.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I found my superpower really is very much around the operational side of things, I found a real passion for processes’
‘Some fulfilment companies are not accepting returns at all at the moment’
‘Something that you can't teach is obviously to care, people either do or they don't’
EPISODE RESOURCES
The Fulfilment Hub
https://www.instagram.com/the_hubb_uk/
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Having started and scaled multiple e-commerce brands myself, I could clearly see that there was a gap in the market for a bespoke end to end e-commerce service that didn't cost the earth.
Fulfilment centres tend to fit into the old style pick and pack units, or the new fulfilment mega-houses which provide a pretty cookie cutter approach, with little room for flexibility. I knew that a new approach was needed, and so I set about creating it!
Being in e-commerce it’s impossible not to be involved in marketing as at the end of the day it’s the biggest part of the job!
Starting with our passion for systems and processes, we leveraged all our learnings from running our own e-commerce stores and combined it with trends we see through the clients we work with to create our customer lifecycle framework.
Using this framework we are able to design, create, and implement a tailored solution for each client's needs, delivering a bespoke service - without a bespoke price tag.
We pride ourselves on our industry-busting low error rate, high client satisfaction, and team happiness.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
There's been a lot of doom and gloom about retail recently, and one of the most important things that you need to do is change your browsers into buyers. That’s what today’s guest Ellie Williamson, the E-commerce assistant, is here to do. Ellie joins Nicole on Start Scale Succeed to help you convert traffic into sales.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Ellie created the e-commerce assistant to help busy small business owners learn how to create great Shopify websites and use Klaviyo for their email marketing. She does that with a mix of training, one-to-one, consultancy, and a ‘done for you’ service.
- One of the top things for Ellie for small businesses, specifically on their websites, is about building trust. A big brand will already have the trust of the consumer but as a smaller brand you have to show that you are genuine.
- You need to make sure your website offers a good user experience and is an easy, frictionless experience where someone can land on the site and instantly know who you are and what you do. Then they need to be able to get to what they want in a simple way.
- Your website is not a once and done thing. You need to constantly improve and evolve it along the lines of optimising for the customer and utilise new technologies.
- When you’re looking at your statistics and data, you need to make sure you do it often and keep your own spreadsheet. Shopify has its own analytics page which you can use to track numbers.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It is hard to dilute everything about you down into an image and a few words, but obviously that's what we need to do’
‘Simplicity is key’
‘Looking at analytics can be scary’
‘Whatever you sell, is there something that you can use as that basket builder’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.theecommerceassistant.com
www.instagram.com/theecommerceassistant
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Having spent over 10 years working in ecommerce, within small to big brands, my superpower is showing independent businesses how to get the most out of their online shop and to maximise their ecommerce sales”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Have you wondered about what the costs are involved in starting a fashion business or what you should be doing first? Today on Start Scale Succeed Nicole is chatting with Alison Lewy MBE, founder of Fashion Angel, mentor, consultant, and author of ‘Design Create Sell – a guide to starting and running a successful fashion business’.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Fashion Angel is a fashion industry support service offering business mentoring, events and access to funding, to fashion start-ups and established fashion business entrepreneurs. Their mission is to give fashion designers and entrepreneurs the tools to enable them to connect their creativity with the entrepreneurial skills they need, to start up and grow sustainable fashion businesses.
- A lot of people come into fashion thinking it's quite a sexy, glamorous industry and they don't realise what goes on behind the scenes and that you need quite deep pockets to make it work.
- Things don't happen by accident, so you need to have a really clear purpose for what you are trying to do. A strong, unique selling point for what, whatever your brand is and you need to research the market and understand where your brand is going to sit amongst your competitors.
- A business plan doesn't need to be war and peace, but there are certain key sections that you would always be thinking about. What is the unique selling point of what you're trying to do? What is the purpose of it? Can you explain it in a couple of sentences because you've got to get your message over really quickly.
- For a fashion brand, the biggest cost to start with will be your sampling development, to create your new styles, patterns, and prototypes that can be very costly. What is your budget for your initial stock?
- When it comes to sustainability, you often have amazing ideas and you've got a particular idea of how you want to do something. But then when you try and source that sustainably, that can be challenging.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I realised that there was some amazing talent out there and lots of people with great ideas, but there was a big gap between the creative bit and the business side’
‘So many brands we come across just literally run out of money before they really get anywhere because they haven't done the planning’
‘People don’t buy products, they buy stories behind brands’
‘Product and marketing costs are the two biggest ones’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Fashion Angel
ABOUT THE GUEST
Alison Lewy is a social entrepreneur and founder of Fashion Angel. Alison ran her own design and manufacturing business for 15 years producing under her own label as well as consulting on sourcing and production for designers including Matthew Williamson and Preen.
Alison became the Commercial Director of the Fashion and Textile Museum in 2006 which she positioned as a hub for the fashion and textile sector, and continued to run mentoring and business support programmes as part of the museum’s offer, as well as setting up the Shop@FTM to showcase new designers.
In 2016 Alison was awarded an MBE for founding Fashion Angel and in recognition of her services to the fashion industry. She is also the best-selling author of Design Create Sell – a guide to starting and running a successful fashion business.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is chatting with serial entrepreneur, Amanda Perry, who has started, scaled and sold several brands and also works with several founders to help them grow and achieve their goals. Listen in for helpful tips from Amanda on how you can grow your own business, dealing with ADHD as a business owner, and the importance of having the right people around you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- From having a business go bankrupt, Amanda has learned that you have to have the right people in giving you the right support. She had people involved in her cake business, but they weren't necessarily the right people and they didn’t give her the right support.
- If your business is a mess and you’re spending all of your time putting out fires, you need to remember that sometimes, there really is a point where the chaos is unsalvageable.
- Are things really hard now or we just had them really easy for a long time? We've had access to data, we've had plentiful sales, everyone's had disposable income. We've had access to social reach on social media and engagement that we don't have so much now.
- Amanda has a new way of planning, which is RE-SMART, based on the SMARTER system. She thinks relevancy is the key and should go first, not last. Think, is it still relevant? And not only is it still relevant, is it actually your goal or is this something that I've picked up?
BEST MOMENTS
‘I remember leaving my job and people saying, are you absolutely mad? And I thought, Yeah, I think I am’
‘You really find out who your friends are when you're going through tough times’
‘I try and base my businesses on the positives and outsource the negatives’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Amanda Perry
Amanda Perry (@amandaperry) • Instagram photos and videos
Heydotta
ABOUT THE GUEST
“I’ve been in business for 15 years and in that time I have started, scaled and sold 4 of my own brands, as well as worked with over 1000 founder-led brands on scaling their revenue through training and 1-1 services.
I use my experience to help founders build a business that looks as good on the outside as it feels on the inside, and navigate the change that comes with it.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Julie Peelo, founder of the Irish contemporary bag and accessories line Peelo. Julie has worked with designers such as Dior, Marni and John Galliano, creating and overseeing their handbag divisions. In 2020 during the pandemic, she launched her own brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Julie left her good job in Ireland to move to Italy to pursue her dream. Without speaking a work of Italian, she rented a sofa to stay on and hit the streets to hand out her CV to all the top brands. She eventually found work with Marni with her office in the picturesque Como.
- After working in New York, Julie finally decided to return home where after 6 months she met her husband and had three children together. After her third baby, Julie decided to set up in business on her own as a new challenge.
- When creating her own brand, Julie set her price point at 150 to 450 in the contemporary market. It would still be a luxury product for most people but not out of their price range. Sue didn't want to go up against the huge luxury brands with million in funding behind them.
- When she decided to set up her manufacturing in Portugal, Julie called the Portuguese embassy for information and advice. This is such a great tip because the embassy wants to create commerce for their country.
- Because of Covid lockdowns, Julie had to do the photography for her products in her back garden with herself as the model and with no hair and make-up.
- Julie has found that there is a lack of control over the output you get when gifting to influencers. You never know if they're going to really post about the product and get on board, or if you're just wasting stock.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I accidentally became a big designer director, I suddenly had a team'
'I had planned to be away for a year, it had been 11'
'You have to be strategic over which retailers you use'
EPISODE RESOURCES
Peelo Accessories
PEELO (@iampeelo) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom-line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this week's episode of Start Scale Succeed Nicole is joined by Joanna K, founder of JK Creative Company, which is a branding, marketing and digital company that helps you with your business. Joanna is here to give you advice on branding, creating a brand, and re-branding.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When it comes to branding Joanna likes to take a big picture approach and work backwards to reverse engineer the brand. She asks her clients where they want to be in 5 or 10 years and keeps that goal in mind when branding.
- Questions you need to ask yourself are, what are your goals? How big do you want to take it? What problem does this solve and how are you helping people? That last question should always be linked back into your marketing. w
- When you’re deciding on a name for your brand you need to remember to consider how it will look on packaging. The same goes for the logo too. A long name or something that's more than three words is just going to be a bit of a nightmare later down the line when you’re trying to fit it on the logo.
- You want your brand name to explain what you do, but don't go so niched that you've then not allowed yourself the room to expand it further in your marketing. Hint at what you do but don’t constrain yourself into just being one thing and one thing only.
- When naming your brand make sure it's not trademarked already, which you can check on Gov.uk. Find out if the domain name is available and are the social media handles available.
BEST MOMENTS
‘There’s no point startin small if your goals are massive’
‘That gap that you've highlighted is probably what makes you unique’
‘Shorter names are more memorable’
EPISODE RESOURCES
JK Creative Company
Joanna | Brand Design Studio (@jkcreativecompany) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Charlotte Pridmore, life coach, NLP practitioner and timeline therapy practitioner. They’re going to be covering a variety of topics from money, mindset, success, bankruptcy, and future goals. Listen in to Start Scale Succeed to hear Charlotte's story of going from bankruptcy to being a successful coach, a real lesson in resilience and determination.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Charlotte had been in London for 10 years working in corporate, had a relationship, and had bought a house. Life was set until she left her partner six months after having their first child. She suddenly went from being a homeowner in London with a corporate job to a single mum on benefits, living with her parents. That’s where this story started.
- Charlotte was lucky enough to get involved with the right network marketing business and was making twice as much from that as she did from her other hairdressing job at the time. But the thing she really got from the business was a love of the coaching side.
- Validation and praise make us feel good and motivate us. You don't get recognized enough in the corporate world. You don't get recognized as a mother. No one gives you a badge for being great, a great mum or really good at your job, especially if you're a woman in the corporate world.
- Charlotte was stuck in a mindset of when the money comes in, you spend it. That was fine for a while when the money was rolling in. But spending money on holidays, private school, and a nice car, left her with nothing for a rainy day. When the income slowed down, her spending didn’t.
- A lot of Charlotte’s low self-worth as a business owner came from her lack of ability to manage her finances responsibly. Financial freedom isn’t about how much money you earn, it’s a mindset.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I was like, this can't be it, and then it was almost like the universe heard me’
‘Don't take anything personally, good or bad’
‘The more successful you get in network marketing the less recognition you get because the goals get harder to achieve’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Charlotte Pridmore
CHARLOTTE Success Coach (@charlotte_pridmore) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
If you are thinking that it's not possible that you can change your career, that it's too much of a risk, then today's podcast is definitely for you. Today Nicole is chatting on Start Scale Succeed with Emma Brankin, ex-lawyer and founder of the Jewellery Brand, Bauble Magpie. She decided to change everything and start her own business in her 40s.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- In her previous career, Emma found that she was banging her head against a glass ceiling feeling annoyed that people whom she perceived as being far less talented and able than her were being promoted. We’ve all experienced it and caused her a lot of frustration.
- Bauble Magpie started as a fun thing for Emma to do during the lockdown on Instagram, just to find other like-minded people that enjoy jewellery. It was purely a vanity project to showcase her jewellery and talk about her love of jewellery. Within 6 months she had made her first sale.
- Emma was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 40. She calls it her kryptonite, but also her superpower because it gives her a cavalier attitude that most people don’t have.
- Emma is absolutely astonished by the support she gets and the success she has achieved with her business. Every week she is reduced to tears by the kind things people say about her and her brand.
- Some say business never gets any easier, but if you do the right things and get your systems in place, it can become more manageable.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Putting it bluntly, my face never fit’
‘I'm on something, but I can't cope, help, you know what, let's get the house in order’
‘At the time I didn't have that money and I had to hustle like a badass to get that money’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Emma (@bauble_magpie) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by brand founder Lucy Jeffrey of Bare Kind, and we are going to talk about how she has grown her business on marketplaces, particularly Faire. So if you are interested in growing the wholesale side of your business, understanding marketplaces, how they operate, and what they look like, this episode is for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Lucy started Bear Kind in 2018 while she was working for a bank at the time, so it very much started as a side hustle. When Bare Kind first started, she was selling reusable straws because there was massive hype around reducing single-use plastic. Then she moved into recycled t-shirts, and tote bags. And it wasn't until 2019 that she started her journey with socks.
- Bare Kind sells bamboo socks where 10% of the profits are donated to the animal on the socks. They partner with a lot of amazing animal charities around the world to help conservation efforts.
- The split is about 70% wholesale for most of the year, and now it's flipped the other way where 70% is retail. This is possibly because wholesalers have kind of done their stocking up for Christmas.
- Most of the business was D to C but Lucy saw Faire were doing some crazy offers. They were offering £300 for free for anyone they onboarded, and then they could spend it on Bare Kind socks. Lucy then realised the potential there and then since then, they have pivoted the whole business to be geared towards wholesale.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I landed on socks because they're just my favourite Christmas presents’
‘I was a tiny cog in a massive machine. I just didn't really feel like I was having any impact’
‘I started with the brand name that wouldn't tie me to a product on purpose’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Linked in - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-jeffrey/
Website - https://barekind.co.uk/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/barekind/
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNdtbnciJLQmWn317WzHxxA
Faire - https://barekind.faire.com/user/sign-up
Fulfilment warehouse - https://www.wearefulfilment.co.uk/
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Hi, I’m Lucy, the founder of Bare Kind. I love animals, and wanted to be a vet when I was younger (now scared of needles so that dream won't become reality), but now I feel like I have truly found my purpose in the work I am doing with Bare Kind. There is something wonderful about being able to have an impact on the world with the humble sock. The charities I work with are doing such brilliant work and I am so glad I can help in my own way.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do you grow your business? How do you budget your sales? And how do you create a strategy for your product business and what should you be looking at? If those are the questions you’re asking, then you’re in luck as today on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Claire Morris of Retail with Clarity. Claire is here to help you plan your strategy and sales.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- You need to look at not just the sales you’ve made but the profit behind those sales, what is that as a margin per cent in your business. You need to break your items down into categories and compare these numbers.
- Sell though is how much you sold as a percentage of what you bought of each product. It’s a really good indicator of a product's success. It is better than just looking at the total volume of sales for each product.
- The SWOT Analysis is a really useful tool for any business. The goal is to identify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats around your business so that you can use these to plan your upcoming year and beyond.
- Claire’s biggest piece of advice is to take into account the internal and external factors when doing your SWOT. Some things are within your control but some things just aren’t.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I help them get a handle on the numbers that will be dictating their business decisions’
‘Know what happens under the hood of your business’
‘Unpicking the “why” of the numbers makes you more confident in your decision making’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Retail With Clarity
Claire | Retail With Clarity (@retailwithclarity) • Instagram photos and videos
Blog on SWOT analysis: Using a SWOT to review business performance — Retail With Clarity | Unlock your profit | Hertfordshire
Booking link for Pricing Power Hour: https://retailwithclarityconsultation.as.me/pricing-power-hour
ABOUT THE GUEST
“I help small and medium businesses with merchandising – the numbers-and-analysis kind. People often think that merchandising is all about dressing and styling, but there’s another kind too. The kind of merchandising that I specialise in deals with collecting data about what you stock, what sells best, and how you price it – and then understanding and using that data to help your business. It’s all about planning.
For fifteen years I worked for large retailers, primarily taking care of their merchandise planning. I was based at their head offices, working closely with their buying departments. One buyer I worked with called me ‘Clarity’ because that’s what I brought to our work. I always secretly loved the nickname and it’s the inspiration for the name of my business.
Supporting small, local and independent businesses is a real driver for me. Although I loved my corporate jobs, I’d wanted to work on my own terms for a while. I started working on a side project, and 18 months later the time was right to escape the world of 9-5. I took a deep breath and launched Retail With Clarity, my flexible, boutique retail consultancy based in St Albans, Hertfordshire.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom-line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Sarah Collins, who is an ethical production consultant and who has for the last eight years been helping businesses source and develop ethically produced products. If you’re looking to make your fashion brand more ethical and sustainable, then this episode is perfect for you as Sarah will be sharing some really great tips on sourcing and bringing down that carbon footprint.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Sarah has volunteered with The World Trade Organisation, helped women's enterprise in rural areas, and has worked in ethical production for the last ten years.
- She found, people were coming up to her all the time “asking how did you find your manufacturers? How do you know they're ethical?” And they just couldn't get their head around it.
- Think about what positive impact you want to have. So think about your business values and how they translate into manufacturing. This could be to do with your ethics, human rights, workers welfare, sustainability, anything that you are passionate about you should be making part of your business plan.
- A big red flag for Sarah is if a manufacturer is not supplying you with the health and safety and workers rights information you’re asking for. If they don’t want to tell you how ethical they are, then they’re probably not very ethical at all.
- Remember that different people and different countries have different interpretations of what a living wage is. A living wage should always be above the minimum wage and give people that comfort room to not have to worry about money.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It is just such a win-win scenario, and I think you definitely have more sight over that impact you create’
‘You can do it in so many different ways, but it's about avoiding waste. It's about choosing the right materials’
‘The industry isn't going to overnight start paying everyone a living wage’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Website (with sign up form to get free production tracker) - https://www.sarahelencollins.com/welcome
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/saracollins.uk/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-collins-72b6b028/
Free personal carbon footprint calculator which can be a great place for people to start seeing what areas they can focus on within their business - https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Having worked within fair trade and ethical production for 8+ years, I’m now on a mission to make mindful & ethical manufacturing accessible for independent brands.
Through my 1:1 work I connect brands who have a genuine desire to create products mindfully and respectfully of people and planet, with manufacturers who are working with this approach. Building strong relationships that are created from shared values and trust is really important to me.
I like to dig deep and get to the core values of the brand and supplier, reviewing standards and evidence based actions that impact the lives of garment workers. Supporting business models and suppliers in reaching fair and ethical standards.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Lydia Howard, a footwear designer and developer who mentors those who want to start their own footwear brands. She’s been designing and developing shoes for 20 years and when she moved to Spain she decided to go out on her own and start her own business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When someone has a discovery call with Lydia about starting their own footwear brand they are often starting from different places, one might have an idea for a product, one might have a factory and wants to make the most out of it, or one might even just be someone with a passion.
- The first thing you should be doing is really understanding the market for your product, what is the demand like, who the competition is, what are they doing, what are the costs involved. You should know all of this before you start getting ahead of yourself.
- Lydia usually works with a minimum of 200 pairs as that is the least the factory will do. Lydia also tells her clients that if someone else comes in with an order for 10,000 pairs, then that’s the job the factory is going to prioritise.
- The vegan option in leather footwear isn’t the most sustainable option as many use components that aren’t good for the environment and don’t last as long as regular leather. So Lydia has to ask her clients if they want to be vegan or more sustainable.
BEST MOMENTS‘Managing the expectations of my clients is usually the biggest job for me’‘The most sustainable process is using a last that exists already’‘I’ve had box manufacturers coming back to me saying they need an order of 1000 for a product with only 200 pairs’‘I make sure the communication between the clients and the factory works’
EPISODE RESOURCESFootwear Designer & Developer (@lydia.creates.shoes) • Instagram photos and videos
footweardesigninsight
VALUABLE RESOURCESwww.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE GUEST
ABOUT THE HOSTBuying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHODWebsite http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Kate Roath, founder of Wild Source, a beauty brand with ritual and meditation at its core, who are now stocked at Liberty and Harrods. Kate is here to tell her business story of going from working at her kitchen table to being stocked by massive retailers. Find out what drives her passion and why she was the perfect person to start this skincare brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Kate started Wild Source in 2017 using her background in skincare and aromatherapy. She wanted to make something that would feed her skin that also felt luxurious. She was having to go to healthcare stores to buy products that wouldn’t cause a reaction on her skin, and that wasn’t the shopping experience she wanted.
- Wild Source launched with four products which covered the everyday essentials that all women will have in their bathroom. It was then from there that she was able to launch more products to fill more niches.
- Kate’s skin is very sensitive so she wanted to make a product that everyone could use without worrying about eczema flare ups or anything like that.
- One of Kate’s biggest worries when starting her business was that when the stress of the business caused eczema flare ups, she didn’t want to go out and meet potential stockists. She thought who would want to buy skincare products from someone who didn’t have perfect looking skin.
- Wild Source treatments in Liberty will be running throughout November and then will be back in January 2023.
BEST MOMENTS‘That shopping experience didn’t feel very luxurious to me’‘With time and growth your brand changes, I’m not the same person I was then’‘The proof was in the pudding, my skin was transformed’
EPISODE RESOURCESKate on LinkedIn
Wild Source
VALUABLE RESOURCESwww.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE GUESTKate’s own practical yet ritualistic approach to skincare can be felt through-out the bones of Wild Source.
The daily act of applying products presents the perfect opportunity for a mindful moment – but for many of us, the struggle to remain present can mean our skincare routine is sometimes mindlessly applied without a second thought for what our skin really needs.
Wild Source works under the holistic principle that mental calm and healthy skin are seamlessly intertwined. Kate is on a mission to prove that the power of meditation combined with supportive, holistic skincare is the real answer to great skin.
ABOUT THE HOSTBuying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHODWebsite http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Sarah Birchall, founder of the beautiful individual clothing brand Cub & Pudding. Cub & Pudding are a unisex family brand bringing happiness to your wardrobes with hand-drawn prints created just for you. Sarah is on Start Scale Succeed to tell you her story of starting her own kidswear business and how she evolved her brand to focus on the adult market to improve its growth potential.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Sarah started Cub & Pudding after finding herself stuck in a rut when her eldest turned three and the offerings for boys' clothes became a sea of diggers and dinosaurs and navy and brown. Zero originality. Sarah loved seeing him in cheerful colours and exciting prints but there were so few options, so she decided to design for him and his little sister, despite having zero fashion experience.
- The biggest hurdle Sarah faced was just the fact that she was a complete novice in the field. Everything was new to her and she didn’t know. Luckily her coach put her in touch with another client who had a factory in Portugal.
- Instagram was always Sarah’s happy place when it came to the brand. In the beginning, she used a lot of influencer marketing which helped her initially grow. Sarah has seen an uptick in sales when she’s targeted her brand at the right influencer and her following has grown along with that. She only uses gifted promotions instead of paid ones.
- The brand started as unisex kidswear but Sarah kept getting messages asking if they would stock adult sizes. People loved the fact they could be “twinning” with their kids. It also opened her up to a bigger market, not just people with children.
- To Sarah success is still being around in five years time running her own brand, having the freedom she has now and not working for someone else.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Some people call it risk-taking, but I didn’t want to look back and think what if’
‘You put so much trust and financial trust in other people’
‘I feel when you pay someone to wear your clothes it feels inauthentic’
‘There’s so much fast fashion out there for kids’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Website: Cub & Pudding
Instagram: Cub & Pudding (@cubandpudding) • Instagram photos and videos
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today the tables are turned and I am the guest and my host is Vicki Weinburg. I was a guest on her podcast Bring Your Product Idea to Life and it was too juicy an episode not to share with you here. We chat about my top tips from developing and launching your brand, to how to grow and scale your business, and common mistakes to avoid. I share a range of excellent resources I know that you will want to investigate. Whether you are starting out, or looking to take the next step in your business, there are lots of takeaway actions in this episode.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Nicole worked as buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, MandS,Debenhams and George at Asda, gaining experience in buying, product development, strategy and leadership and global sourcing. In 2020 she established the Buyer and Retail Coach to help small businesses start and scale their product business and increase their sales and profits.
- From working with larger companies Nicole’s advice is that if something doesn’t work, and there will always be something that doesn’t, you should fail fast and move on. The quicker you can find a solution and move on, the quicker you’ll be able to bring in more money. You can then review why something didn’t work.
- Understand your customer, without them you have no business. Don’t ignore your older customer if your business changes, take them on the journey with you.
- A lot of new business owners try to do everything themselves. It’s always a better idea to bring in someone with the skills you need or outsource that part of your business to someone who can do it better.
- When sourcing the three main questions you want to ask any supplier are what their minimum order quantity is, what their lead time is, and what their payment terms are.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Know what you won’t compromise on’
‘A lot more people are using Instagram and TikTok as search engines’
‘Look at where you need to be from a price point, rather than working it out from your cost price’
‘If you’re not on TikTok, get yourself on there’
EPISODE RESOURCES
VICKI:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/productcreatorsclub (Join my free Facebook group for product makers and creators)
https://www.instagram.com/vickiweinberguk/ (Find me on Instagram)
http://www.vickiweinberg.com (Work with me)
USEFUL RESOURCES:
FREE RESOURCE: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/questionstoasksuppliers/ (Questions
to ask suppliers when starting your business)
Brands and Resources mentioned:
Adam Frisby - In The Style
Katie Tucker | Market research | Author (@productjungle) • Instagram photos and videos
Common Objective
Alibaba.com
Pantee
https://mailchimp.com/en-gb (Mailchimp)
Klaviyo
https://www.launchrock.com/ (Launchrock)
Fiona Minett - http://bossyourpr (Boss Your PR)
Lucy Werner - Hype Yourself — The Wern (Hype Yourself)
Entrepreneur & Press Hangout – LIGHTBULB | Facebook (Lightbulb Facebook
Group)
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are you in a position where you are looking for investment for your business to help you grow, scale or possibly survive? Today's Start Scale Succeed podcast is with Babs Jamieson founder of Jamieson Law, she joins Nicole to cover what you as a brand need to have in place to be investor ready. Babs has been a guest on the podcast in the past where she spoke about copywriting and trademarking, but today the topic is investments.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Babs set up Jameson Law about three years ago now. Originally in the UK and then expanded into Ireland. They are essentially helping small business owners and startups to get all their legalities in place, speaking in plain English, not legal jargon and telling you what you need to know.
- Getting investor ready is making sure that your business is in a position where an investor wants to invest in it, that the process is going to be straightforward, and that they're not going to uncover something that terrifies them and makes them run away.
- Due diligence is when investors will ask questions and root around your documentation. The length of that process and what they're going to find are going to be quite different. But regardless of where you are in that stage, they will be looking for certain things and they'll expect you to have taken certain steps.
- If they don’t like what they find then they could pull out of the deal or might try and take more equity for less money. They might offer you less money for the same amount of equity or they might pause the investment until you go and fix all the issues.
- The things investors will look for in terms of documentation is if you've registered as a company properly. You've registered with the Information Commissioner's Office for GDPR, 99% of businesses need to register with the Information Commissioner's Office. So if you think it doesn't apply to you, it does. You register at ico.org.uk. It should cost you 40 pounds a year.
- The second part is about making sure that you've got good client contracts in place, or terms and conditions. So if you're an eCommerce provider or you're selling a kind of downloadable software or something like that, an investor will ask to see your standard terms and conditions.
- A UK trademark takes about three to four months. Same for an EU one. A US trademark can take about a year. So they don't expect you to have a registered trademark if you're just starting, but they expect your application to be in and for it all to be going well.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I think sometimes people, they're afraid of that legal side and, afraid of what they don't know or think that they're gonna be bombarded with jargon’
‘If an investor is going to open the car bonnet into your business and dig in, what are they going to find?’
‘The negotiation of the legal documents could take six weeks or it could take six months, you never know’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Babs on LinkedIn
Jamiesonlaw.legal
@babsjamiesonlaw on Instagram
facebook.com/barbara.jamieson.52
Legal Leverage Podcast
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Lillie Kaye, who is the founder of Pachee, a Children's Wear brand which recently won a double award at the Junior Design Awards. Pachee is a children's lifestyle brand aimed at promoting adventure and learning through creating different products that represent children's achievements and also that represent themselves and their individuality. Listen in to find out all about Lillie and her story, as well as some really great tips when it comes to starting to work in the wholesale market.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Pachee started when Lillie and her husband started worrying about what products would fill their son's room. They found a gap in the market for things that would represent children in a fun way. So they came up with Pachees, which the children could collect, and attach to the belt backpack which was inspired by the couple’s travels through Asia.
- Lillie loves the community around selling her products and wholesale would just be increasing that community and helping Pachee on its way to be a household brand and be a place that parents can come to to buy a story as opposed to just a product.
- Before her first trade show at the last minute Lillie’s printers fell through and she didn't have any of the catalogues that she spent months working on. And in the end, she ran onto Canva and created a QR code and I handed that out as a quirky little Pachee passport. That saved her time and money and gave her an opportunity to engage in new conversation when speaking to the buyers.
- A lot of brands offer a 10 or 15% discount at trade shows on the day to incentivise people to get the deal done on the day.
- This biggest problem Lillie is having is with social media. Mainly because it's a huge channel and a huge platform for them to sell themselves. There’s now an increase in demand to have to be on camera and to make reels. Making videos takes a lot of time and that time can equal to money.
BEST MOMENTS‘There's days when I'll close one laptop just to open another one’‘Anyone can burn out. So I think it's important to listen to the body when you have all these different roles to play’‘Trade fairs are a big step to take both mentally and financially’‘It's striking that balance between creating something that's eye catching and but not overspending too much as well’EPISODE RESOURCESwww.instagram.com/pacheestore
www.pachee.co.uk
VALUABLE RESOURCESwww.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOSTBuying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHODWebsite http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
We have all in our life experienced great leaders, the ones you have looked up to that really pulled a team together and made you feel valued and really knew how to get the best from the team and individuals as part of that team. Unfortunately we have probably experienced those managers, because I can’t really call them leaders, where you felt like you were just a number and that when working they made you really question your own self worth and ability. Today I chatted with Anna Woods, a leadership coach who specialises in helping retail leaders and brands. We are going to be talking about becoming leaders and going from a good leader to a great leader.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- To go from good to great a leader you need to have a backbone but also lead with heart. You can make all of those tough business decisions, but with compassion and care for employees and the business a whole.
- As a leader during the pandemic you had to think even more about the wellbeing of your staff. It went from last on the agenda to being front of everyone’s mind.
- Anna thinks that as a leader you should have a place to reflect, the world moves at such a fast pace and so does your business. It’s a gist to be able to have the skill to take a breath in the moment. Pressure comes from all directions so you need the capacity within yourself to take a moment and understand what is going on around you.
- The way a lot of girls are taught in schools discourages that behaviour which challenges authority and allows them to show their own authority.
- As a leader you need to be clear about what you stand for, what are your values. Lead with courage and compassion. People want their leaders to care.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Leaders need to get to a place of being responsive rather than reactive’
‘The biggest thing that I teach and help people grow is their confidence’
‘Fight, flight, or freeze dictates how we are as leaders’
‘Your role as a leader is to constantly be collaborating with your team’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/annawoodscoaching
www.instagram.com/postive_retail
www.anna-woods.com
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How are sales in your business right now? If they could be better and you want to know how to improve them, then you’ll love today’s guest Vee Roberts. Vee is a sales and marketing expert who is going to be talking through her top tips to improve your sales and understand why you may be struggling in the first place.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When it comes to social media, it takes a long time to create reels, especially ones involving the latest trends. A lot of product businesses are now making 15 to 30 second videos without all the frills.
- You need to have a way to keep hold of your potential customers. If you don’t have a sign up to your mailing list or a link on your socials to your website then you’re losing that person's attention.
- A good way to keep hold of people is through Facebook Pixel. The Facebook Pixel is a piece of code that you place on your website. It collects data that helps you track conversions from Facebook ads, optimise ads, build targeted audiences for future ads and remarket to people who have already taken some kind of action on your website.
- The understanding of your audience is what allows you to create a really appealing offer that will attract sales.
- You should be proud enough of your product as a business owner that you’re happy shouting about it from the rooftops. Customers can tell if you’re not invested in your product. You can be a reason that people choose to buy from you rather than someone else.
BEST MOMENTS‘The ultimate outcome of branding and marketing is attracting leads and making sales’‘Connect and understand your audience and give them what they need’‘Some people feel like sales is a swear word’‘Sales is money in the bank’EPISODE RESOURCEShttps://www.insight2marketing.com
https://www.insight2marketing.com/products
www.instagram.com/insight2marketing
VALUABLE RESOURCESwww.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE GUESTFor the last 26 years Vee Roberts has been working with and for businesses globally to help them develop, promote and grow their brands. Vee started insight2marketing on a budget of £100, after being made redundant. She has built the business from its very roots to the company it is today, whilst also raising 4 children.
ABOUT THE HOSTBuying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHODWebsite http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When was the last time you checked how your website is converting? Are you sticking your head in the ground when it comes to SEO not really sure what it's about and how you can make more sales and be seen by more customers? Then tune into today's podcast episode with Pamela Rae Welsh from Worsley creative. We talk about why SEO matters and what are the main pillars of SEO. We also cover the customer journey and depending on your product type how you can help your customer through your content and your website. Pamela goes through really helpful tips and advice on what you can do quickly, easily and for free! to make your website more visible and ultimately make more sales. With the social media space becoming more crowded and sometimes more confusing than making sure your website is optimised and really serving you and your customer is paramount.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- SEO is so important because when you think about the millions of active Facebook users per day and the billion people on TikTok, those numbers seem so small when you remember that there are 80,000 Google searches per second.
- SEO is about getting your website fit and friendly to show to Google users. Google’s simple core purpose is to match the most relevant, trustworthy, and authoritative answers to a user's search terms.
- Create a structure that takes your ideal customer on a journey. This goes from discovery, to research, purchasing, and post advocacy phases. With the cost of living crisis at the moment, all purchases will become more considered.
- Create compelling content around the FAQs of your website so that your ideal customer can make an informed decision. A one word answer isn’t going to engage anyone. The more content you produce the more it will pay dividends.
- Spend time thoroughly researching what your ideal customer is searching for. If you’re a fashion brand then, yes your customers are searching for ‘black dress’, but you’re never going to rank highly compared to companies with millions to spend on advertising. Get clever and be more specific to what you can offer.
- Use Google Search Console. Google Search Console is a web service by Google which allows webmasters to check indexing status, search queries, crawling errors and optimise visibility of their websites.
BEST MOMENTS‘Your website is your corner of the internet, it allows you to communicate your brand’‘Content on your website lasts 300 times longer than on social media’‘A backlink is another website giving a vote of confidence to your website’‘At the heart of everything is creating great content’‘If you can get people linking to your website it’s like a vote of confidence’EPISODE RESOURCESworsleycreative.co.uk
www.facebook.com/worsleycreative
www.pinterest.co.uk/WorsleyCreative/
www.instagram.com/worsley_creative/
Google Search Console
VALUABLE RESOURCESwww.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE GUESTIn 2018 Worsley Creative Services was born as a side hustle. Pamela started the business the same day my Gran was at the end of her life and passed away. It seemed fitting – she would always ask “are you happy dear?” and starting the business that I know would make me happy was a great tribute.
Worsley Creative started out building friends' businesses websites, helping hobbyists become established businesses with branding and digital marketing strategies and a small Facebook group helping people to understand SEO.
Fast forward 4 years and the business has evolved massively to the point where a rebrand and a relaunch felt the right thing to do to take Pamela’s entrepreneurial journey to the next level.
ABOUT THE HOSTBuying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHODWebsite http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How does it feel when you’re at a crossroads with your business? Do you look for investment, continue as you are, or even fold the business? That’s the topic of discussion this week on Start Scale Succeed as Nicole is joined by Nicky from Wilder Ones, who is at that crossroads with her business right now.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Wilder Ones started as a unisex childrens clothing company and then launched some women’s wear which really took off. It got to the point where children’s clothing wasn’t scaling with the rest of the businesses so now it’s now just women’s wear.
- Cash flow can kill businesses, big and small. After you've gone through your initial investment and don’t have another investor lined up, your cash becomes tied up in stock very quickly and one sale pays for the next purchases.
- Running ads can be a case of trial and error and if you don’t have the cash flow to pay for that marketing you might find growth minimal.
- To keep the product line fresh, Nicky was dropping new lines every month or so.
- If you don’t want to carry on your business, that’s fine. Your business should be for no one but yourself and if it’s not bringing you joy then why do it? Nicky ultimately decided that she’s learned so much from Wilder Ones and wanted to continue that journey.
- As Nicky didn’t have any experience in the fashion industry, she made some mistakes in the beginning. One of her mistakes was over ordering 50 pieces in each size, this led to her having to donate stock.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Organic growth is so slow so you have to advertise’
‘Pre-orders can help with cash flow’
‘You’re better off ordering less and making less profit to test the market’
‘Learn from it, now push on’
‘Take it one step at a time, slowly more has happened and I’m comfortable with the decision’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Wilder Ones
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
September always feels like a fresh start, and that is what I feel some people need with instagram right now, a fresh start or a new lease on their socials and their approach to instagram. So if you are feeling a bit lost with instagram this episode will help you regain that focus and that motivation. Join myself Nicole and this week's guest, content coach and instagram trainer, Sarah Richards as we discuss how to refocus on instagram and get your motivation back.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Once every six months every business should go back to the basics, who you are and what your values are. You need to think about your customers now and what they need and what you can provide for them. If you don’t know what they need then you can just pick up the phone and talk to them.
- What are your key messages? What content pillars do you want to share on your socials?
- Your content pillars are basically your buckets of content and each bucket of content has a different purpose. Sarah’s five buckets are About your business, tips and hacks, lifestyle, community, and promotion.
- Sarah’s three tips are 1. Reboot your content, spend 20 minutes thinking about what content is helpful to your audience. 2. Adopt a content mindset, you’re living the content every day and you just need to remember to capture it. 3. Write your captions as if you are writing to a friend then relook back and make sure you have included SEO words that are about the product.
- It’s okay to share a bit of your knowledge or content for free because if you do that once, people are more likely to come back because you’ve helped them and built that trust.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Build that know, that like, and that trust’
‘A product business sells through more of your content than a service business’
‘You don’t always have to be in front of camera’
‘The audience needs to see a window into your world’
‘Swim towards the positivity’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Free mini guide to Instagram
Sarah's blog
Sarah on Instagram
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week’s guest is founder of Empwr Botanics, a CBD and wellness brand, Natalie Meredith. Natalie joins Nicole on Start Scale Succeed to talk about how her personal journey and experience lead her to creating this brand. Find out about the benefits of CBD and the challenges Natlaie has faced going from working in property to starting her own business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- In 2018 Natalie was diagnosed with restless legs syndrome, also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, a common condition of the nervous system that causes an overwhelming irresistible urge to move the legs.
- This affected Natalie’s sleep and being someone who prefers a natural alternative to over the counter drugs. She decided to try CBD and had the best night's sleep of her life. Natalie also found that she felt calmer and had fewer symptoms of anxiety.
- When deciding to start her business, Natalie looked at the market in the US which is around five years ahead of the UK in terms of laws around CBD products. She thought if the country who started the war on drugs made it legal, then the UK wouldn’t be far behind.
- CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a single compound of the Cannabis plant. In the world of health and wellness it is best known for its anti-inflammatory and stress reducing properties. It is non-toxic, non-psychotropic and unlike THC - it will not get you high.
- CBD is good for your skin too so Natalie wanted to use CBD in her skincare products. She ran into problems with regulations, beauty trends, and supply chain issues for her CBD facemasks.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I’m so happy that I pivoted and repacked and renamed the brand’
‘After my first session I literally couldn’t move, I was wondering how I could go back’
‘I’m such a gung ho person I just went for it’
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.empwrbotanics.co.uk
www.instagram.com/empwrbotanics
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dreaming of starting your own fashion business? This week's episode of Start Scale Succeed is a recording of an Instagram live with Sinead Kearns from Arlo Blue. Tracy and Sinead chat about the why and the how of starting the brand and what made her go for it. Moving from a side hustle to the main focus, the challenges she faced and how she reacted and decisions she made. Listen in to find out about growing organically, Sinead’s future plans for the brand as well as advice and tips for those starting out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Arlo Blue was founded because Sinead was finding it difficult to find basic pieces for her wardrobe. She wanted pieces that could be worn time and time again and avoiding having to throw away her cheap fast-fashion items that need replacing every few months.
- Arlo Blue’s mission is to make it easy to find great quality white t-shirts that are going to last a long time. They do this through durable, quality and 100% cotton clothing.
- Four months into the business Sinead made over £1,000 in sales and was ecstatic about it. Her expectations weren’t that high. It was also at that point of the business where she was getting good feedback and returning customers who wanted more styles than Arlo Blue currently had.
- There has been so much support for Arlo Blue that Sinead is planning to expand from womens t-shirts into also making a limited range of mens products.
- Sinead’s advice for anyone wanting to go into business is just to do it, don’t worry about making everything perfect. If you’ve done your research then you’re ready to go. Perfection is procrastination.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I ordered 80 t-shirts and I was petrified that they weren't going to arrive’
‘That person might just fall into your path’
‘Don’t wait until it’s perfect to start, it never will be’
‘It’s much harder to grow on Instagram now, you have to be consistent’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Arlo Blue
Arlo Blue on Instagram
The Custom Crew on Instagram
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are you hiding from the numbers in your business or not sure how you should manage your stocks and the numbers that really matter in your business? Then today's Start Scale Succeed episode is for you. Nicole is chatting with Sarah from Flourish Retail, merchandising expert who has over 20 years experience working for retailers like ASOS, River Island and Debenhams.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- There are two aspects to sales, firstly your total sales which would be what you’ve sold in a period. Then your net sales, which includes returns. Returns are an important number for your business because it impacts your profit and the customer experience.
- With clothing a 20% return percentage is pretty good but it can fluctuate depending on the product. Something fitted will have a higher return rate.
- Maximise your profit as much as possible from every unit of stock you’re selling. Be aware of how much stock you have and how much of your money is tied up in that stock.
- If you don’t try and negotiate with suppliers on minimum order amounts then you might be left with too much of your cash invested in stock. Remember that you’re also paying for storage on your stock too.
- Understand what’s working, what’s actually selling well for you, the numbers don’t lie. Don’t be afraid to get rid of products that don’t make you money and take up your time.
- Review your pricing, with costs going up then profit margins begin to slide. Look at your competitors' prices regularly and make sure you’re missing a trick.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Sales are vanity, profit is sanity’
‘It’s important to trade in season’
‘Add the context to the numbers’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.flourishretail.com
www.instagram.com/flourishretail
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do you manifest the life that you want? Today’s episode is a recording of an Instagram live where Nicole chatted with Chloe Slade, a manifestation and mindset coach and founder of Vibe and Flow. Some of the topics we covered include what is manifestation, how and where you should start. If you're a product business what kinds of affirmations and thoughts may help you in your business. What daily habits can you include to help raise your vibrations and increase the momentum in your life. And much more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Manifestation is where your dominant thoughts, feelings, actions, and beliefs create an aligned reality. It’s about intention.
- Your positive thinking should be focused on the next best feeling thought, for example if you were in debt you won’t get out of it by trying to become a millionaire. It’s about manageable steps not huge leaps.
- Be clear on what it is you want, getting more money isn’t a clear goal because we’re not attached to our bank balance, it’s the things that we can do with it that motivate us.
- A limiting belief is a state of mind or belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. Everyone experiences limiting beliefs, but learning how to identify them can help you proactively prevent these beliefs from limiting you.
- Have a morning formula. Prepare yourself for the day through actions and movement, it’s not a routine, it can be flexible around your time and isn’t set in stone.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I thought it was just a hobby for me, I didn’t know I could do it full time’
‘If the positive thinking doesn't align with your self image it’s going to cause problems’
‘You have to take the action’
‘Be the version of you, start showing up’
EPISODE RESOURCES
1-1 Coaching Application
The 90 Day Manifestation Journal
Money Manifestation Cards
Membership
Free 3 Part Money Series + Workbook
Free Daily Money Prompts
@itschloeslade
@vibe_and_flow
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Half Baked London is a beautiful sustainable swimwear brand and today on Start scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by founder Kim Fraser. Find out all about Kim’s story, how she pushes through her challenges, and what’s next for the brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Kim doesn’t have a background in fashion and decided to start the brand when she found that when she was travelling she was struggling to find swimwear that she could afford, was good quality, and made her feel good. She started from scratch doing all the research and trade shows, all of which took about two years.
- The biggest challenge Kim faced, especially in the beginning, was a lack of knowledge. She had a good cash flow but just didn’t know what the next step was. To overcome this Kim spent a long time doing research and discovered that when you make one contact, they can introduce you to someone else who can help you.
- Surrounding yourself with people who are on similar journeys to you really helps you feel supported while you’re taking each step.
- When setting up the brand, it was important to Kim to bring comfort first but not compromise on style.
- Instead of saying no to things, Kim has decided to say yes more and be open to opportunities even if they scare her, for example coming on this podcast isn’t something Kim’s super comfortable doing.
BEST MOMENTS
‘If you don’t believe that you’re smashing it, nobody else will’
‘I’m aware of when I’m self sabotaging and I snap out of it because it’s not helpful’
‘I wish that I’d released the fear a little bit sooner, then I’d be further along’
‘I wanted to make pieces that first and foremost make you feel good’
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://halfbakedlondon.com
www.instagram.com/halfbakedlondon
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Have you thought about selling your brand on Amazon, or maybe you’re already on there but not getting the sales you want. With over 2 million brands listed on the platform, how can you stand out and make sure your products are visible and taking the sales that you want. This week's guest on Start Scale Succeed is going to be able to answer those questions and more. Vicki Weinberg is an expert on helping brands grow and sell on Amazon.
KEY TAKEAWAYS There are some products which you cannot sell on Amazon, this list of items changes regularly. These can include things like CBD, cars, and used clothes. Your product may not be right for Amazon for a number of reasons, for example an item with a small profit margin won’t make you any money when you take into account the Amazon fees. With a free Amazon selling account you can’t do any advertising there and you have a cap of 35 sales per month, whereas with the professional account for £30 per month you can advertise and have unlimited sales. Both offer unlimited free listings. If you’re selling a product with lots of competition, it can be hard to get onto the first page because Amazon promotes the ones with good sales and good reviews. You might get more profit on sales from your own website, but you will get a much higher volume on Amazon. The customers are already there.
BEST MOMENTS
‘You want to be on page one, we’re not going to page two, three, or four’
‘You need to have something that helps you stand out’
‘Once you’ve put your listing on Amazon you still have some hard work to do’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.vickiweinberg.com
How to successfully launch a product on Amazon or rescue one that’s not selling: https://mailchi.mp/f213741a23ee/amazon_listing_optimisation
Selling on Amazon Checklist: https://mailchi.mp/0adac0163554/product_creation_steps
A podcast episode all about dealing with (and preventing) issues that might arise on Amazon (as per your last question): https://vickiweinberg.com/captivate-podcast/common-amazon-issues-and-how-to-resolve-them-with-vicki-weinberg/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Born from an idea whilst searching for the best mascara to use to an app now with 80,000 products and 17,000 brands. Beauty Buddy was created by two sisters Wendy & Tracy and today Nicole chats with co founder Wendy Slattery on how they have created what they call the “Trip advisor” for beauty products, where consumers who have used the brands whether they love it or hate it they rate it. Which allows consumers and brands to get real feedback from real people. They discuss the initial research they did and how they engaged with people that really made them see that they had an idea that was viable and useful. To a whirlwind trip to New York drawing on every and any connection to meet advisors and investors, creating a minimum viable product without spending millions.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
We’ve all been the overwhelmed customer going into a store. When Wendy and Tracy went into a store and asked the assistant if a makeup brush was worth the money, they were told “I don’t know, I only work here Saturdays”. The pair then went online and googled the item, all that came up was sites trying to sell the product, nothing about if it was good or not. So that’s when they thought wouldn’t it be great to just be able to scan a barcode and see relevant information on a product. From focus groups Wendy discovered that in terms of product reviews, people are least likely to trust reviews on the brands own website or store. When it comes to influencers reviews it was a balance between trusting some and not trusting others. The reviews that people trust the most are those given by a friend. The pair found success with their Facebook group for beauty product reviews but the problem was that it was impossible to keep track of. They found people asking the same questions weeks apart because the information they had got on the previous post was just too hard to find again. Never take no for an answer. You don’t open doors with one email, you need to be calling, LinkedIn messages, everything. Just be persistent. Beauty Buddy is currently valued at £3.6 million after the latest round of investment.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I’ve said yes to dates…but it’s in America!’
‘We know where we’re going. Either you’re interested in being on the journey with us or you’re not’
‘When you’re that small, you need to find investors who are passionate about the industry’
‘You will always make mistakes as a startup’
‘The worst you can do is fail’
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.thebeautybuddy.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebeautybuddyapp
Tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebeautybuddy
https://proto.io/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How can you create that connection with your customer that will help sales? On today's Start Scale Succeed podcast, Nicole is joined by copywriter Emma Griffin, who is going to share her top tips for creating copy that connects and converts.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Emma works with coaches, consultants and small business owners, she specialises in website copy, sales and launch copy, email marketing, and tone of voice support. Emma’s top five tips for creating good copy are: Make it about your customer. Do your research. Keep it brief, but vary your sentence length. Drop the jargon. Build authority through things other than just expertise. In your copy make sure you’re using the word ‘you’ far more than you use the words ‘I’ or ‘we’. Your headline is the first opportunity you have to connect with your customer. It could be a question that will hook your customer and make it about them and not you or the product. Read the bad reviews for other people offering a similar service to yours, this is the best way to really understand what a potential customer is looking for and where you can go wrong. If users can’t imagine what you’re saying, they won’t buy your product. Use words that create a clear picture in users’ minds instead of being vague. Always remember, people buy what they want, not what they need. Dedicate more time to editing what you’ve written than you’ve spent on writing it in the first place. Leave a night's sleep between the writing stage and the edit stage.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Copywriters are marketers who help you to sell through compelling words that connect you to customers’
‘When you know a lot about your customer that’s when you can write really good copy’
‘70% of a copywriters job is research’
‘Be brutal with what you’ve written’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Emmagriffinwrites.co.uk
@emmagriffinwrites
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As consumers we’re all trying to be more conscious and buy and shop in a more sustainable way. An increased number of brands are looking at products in a more innovative way, one of those brands is Billi London the world's first biodegradable hosiery brand. Today Nicole is joined by Billi London co-founder Sophie to find out more about this eco-friendly brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS After ripping a pair of tights while she was getting ready for work, Sophie threw the old pair in the bin and went to get new ones. It was then that she started thinking about how wasteful it was to have a one use product that couldn’t be recycled into another pair, they would just end up in landfill. Every year in the UK alone there is over 7000 tonnes of waste just from tights in landfill. Globally that’s 8 billion pairs of tights being produced just to be thrown away. They will take over 100 years to decompose. Sophie needed to surround herself with people who know about sustainability. Her co-worker Marie came on board to be the other co-founder bringing her background in sustainability in fashion and biodegradability. They were both trying to solve the same problem at the same time. Billi London tights biodegrade in around 5 years when in landfill, compared to up to 100 years for other hosiery brands. Sophie is also very passionate about changing the way in which we buy tights. Instead of just grabbing them in the supermarket, she wanted to walk people through the journey, let them try them on, feel the material, and most importantly understand the sustainability of the product. In the first pop up in London they had a conversion rate of about 90%. The traffic wasn’t huge but almost everyone who went in bought one of their products.
BEST MOMENTS
‘There was no way I was going to create a brand with a negative impact’
‘There was no way we were going to sacrifice quality or sustainability’
‘Biodegradability is a harder thing to explain than recycling’
‘Know your values and what you’re not prepared to compromise on’
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://billi-london.com
https://www.instagram.com/billi_ldn/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How do you grow a beauty brand? In today's podcast I am chatting with beauty expert Faye Speedie, founder of new platform The Brand Book and founder of Beauty Bulb. The Brand Book is a trade show - without the show, where beauty brands can link with retailers and buyers and showcase their products digitally and make amazing connections. With several years in the industry Faye and I chat about: the issues both brands and beauty buyers are having right now. What brands can do to help them grow their business . What trends to focus on. And how to build relationships with buyers and much more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Beauty Bulb is a dynamic concept that was launched by Faye Speedie in 2017 to support beauty, personal care and wellness brands with their sales and business growth in a flexible way. Beauty Bulb has delivered substantial sales growth across numerous sales channels. They've opened dozens of new markets and made hundreds of beauty business introductions for over 40 brands since launch. They are experts driving sales growth through retail, online retail, international distributors, home shopping, The USA and China. Faye is passionate about working with founders, owners and their teams at all business levels. Faye’s team grew quickly and after just six months she had a team of herself and two others. The brand is now split in half between the Beauty Bulb and The Brand Book. If you’re a start up your brand, it’s about knowing where to invest your money. Is it going to stock, or product development, or marketing, or is it social media? Nail your USP. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing, stay focused and know who you are. Your USP is what will get attention from your target market. Buddy up with partners who don’t work in your space, you’ll find you can learn from other business people who’ve been there and learned from their mistakes.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It was the biggest success story the Dragons didn’t invest in’
‘When the logistics guy was on holiday, we’d be there packing boxes’
‘There was no one size fits all’
‘The trade shows are amazing but so hard. Buyers often find it hard to choose’
‘Supercharging their sales is what we set out to do for them’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.thebrandbook.co.uk
www.instagram.com/beautybulb
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Louise has been in the skin health and beauty industry for 26 years from a Saturday girl in a beauty salon to launching her own brand, Louise Thomas Skincare. Louise joins Nicole this week on Start Scale Succeed to talk about her journey from developing a skin condition, making skincare formulas for other people, to finally going out on her own and making her name a brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Louise is actually quite thankful that she developed bad acne. She thought it would be the end of her career before it even started but in fact it gave Louise the focus and passion for skin health as well as an empathy for understanding the psychological effects of skin conditions. Quickly recognising that her own skin battles were making her fascinated about skin health, Louise’s column became dominated with clients that also had skin issues and facial treatments and it became what she was busiest with all day every day. Louise’s obsession with ingredient technology took over and she stepped away from the treatment side of things for a few years as a new career path led her to work for International skin care and device brands for five years. This took Louise all over the UK, developing and training other therapists, doctors and nurses in high level skin care products and machines and benefitting from an expanse of postgraduate skin health knowledge. Having her daughter made Louise not want to lose herself and her dream, it became a case of either she started her own business now or she never would. Louise is so grateful that her business evolved organically from working in skin therapy, it meant that she knew her target market and was an expert before she even started. Her specifications for manufacturers were the most detailed they had ever seen. When things were going bad during the pandemic Louise couldn’t launch in the way she wanted, she had everything done and empty bottles waiting to be filled. It was her daughter who gave Louise the determination and she didn’t want to set the example of giving up when it gets tough. She then went out and found a smaller manufacturer who could produce one product to put on sale instead of the five she originally wanted.
BEST MOMENTS
‘My heart is in helping people getting over their skin conditions, and I think my heart is a little bit in business’
‘I had to find what was my message, what was I trying to get out there’
‘Because I had all this experience I knew exactly what it needed to be’
‘We had 25,000 bottles and jars ready to go, but suddenly we had no money to fill them’
‘Recognition drives me, being known for being good in the industry’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.louisethomasskincare.co.uk
Louise Thomas Skincare on Instagram
Louise Thomas Skin Therapy on Instagram
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How are you feeling about your social media? Should you be on Tik Tok, Instagram? Are you feeling a bit deflated and confused? What should you be doing? This week on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is talking to Abby from Dirty Work Digital, a social media marketing expert. So if you want to know how to get visible on Instagram and engage with your audience then this episode is for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS After being made redundant during lockdown, Abby found people coming to her for social media and marketing advice. That’s when Dirty Work Digital was born, to help you stand out in a crowded online marketplace. Some people have said that Instagram is dead, but it’s actually just changing. It’s not just photos now, it’s evolved to take on Tik Tok with more video based content. Abby see’s Instagram as a place to nurture the followers you already have. Reach is a lot lower than it used to be but original content is pushed more than it used to be. To grow your audience or gain a new audience all together is to use Tik Tok, it has a huge reach. It should be at the top of your funnel. Think of Instagram as your shop front and Tik Tok as your behind the scenes with relatable funny content. Get them interested with Tik Tok, and then take them over to Instagram. Keep Tik Tok at a very surface level, on Instagram you should be showing off the benefits of your products. Since Covid, people want to connect with the person and the story more than just the product itself. That’s why you can be more yourself on Tik Tok than traditionally you needed to be on social media.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I love content that’s a bit original and that’s what caused my rapid growth’
‘Create content for the audience that’s there, because they’re there for a reason’
‘It’s about building a community of people who want to know the story’
‘Consistency shows up in so many different ways’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/dirtyworkdigital
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/dirtyworkdigital
https://linktr.ee/Dirtyworkdigital
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by Jen Fuller, founder of award winning childrenswear brand Etta Loves. The brand started off in 2017 with a range of muslins that stimulate the sensory development of babies visual and cognitive development. Etta Loves is now an award winning brand with stock in Selfridges among other retailers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Jen had the idea for Etta Loves when she noticed her daughter, Etta was feeding better and for longer when she was wearing certain clothes. This got her interested in what babies find visually interesting. The first piece of outsourcing Jen did was fulfilment and warehousing. She found that she was spending all of her free time packing and it wasn’t something that would actually grow her business. She could spend her time being a mum and working on things that would add value to the business, rather than printing postage labels. You never know who is watching your business, there might be a buyer who is a fan of what you do but they’re waiting for your brand to be ready. Keep in touch with people you make a connection with and if and when the time is right they will come to you with an answer. Every review is hugely important, you can use them to show off your products on social media. If you’re running a product business you need to work out what that minimum viable product is. The frills will just slow you down and there can be a benefit to getting speed to market.
BEST MOMENTS
‘The great thing about our products is that they’re not use it once and throw it away’
‘Make things really clear for your buyers’
‘You went back and your negotiated and managed to get the win’
‘It’s a lonely journey so you need to find cheerleaders’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.ettaloves.com
www.instagram.com/ettaloves
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Pop up shops are one of the key ways to attract a new audience and increase the awareness and exposure to your brand. Today Nicole is joined by David Blakely, business & store development director of Sooks, which provides access to flexible and affordable digitally connected spaces in the UK and around the world.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Have a clear objective – what are you trying to achieve with your pop-up shop? Budget – How much are you able or willing to spend on a pop-up shop in order achieve those goals? You need to be clear as to how much you are going to spend and what you are going to get back from it. Location – Which country, city and neighbourhood provides the best option for your business to achieve your goal? Consider footfall and foot traffic as well as branding and behaviour. Where is your ideal audience most likely to be? What kind of person are they? Venue – what does the space need to have in order for you to achieve your goals? What utilities do you need? (wi-fi, video equipment, or kitchen space, for example) and how will you use them? Most spaces include this in the price, but always double-check. Will you need storage? Will you need storage in the store or will you need storage elsewhere? Design – how do you want your pop-up store to look? What will most appeal to customers and foot traffic alike? Digital and offline synchronisation – understand how you’re going to couple your offline sales with your digital sales and ecommerce set up. Is it the same customer currently standing at the till who ordered something online last week? How are you going to promote it? Making people aware of your pop-up store is very important as you may not be able to rely solely on footfall (depending on where you’re located). Think about the social platforms your audience uses. Success? You should have an understanding of what success will look like and what factors will affect it. Is it a revenue target? A customer engagement target? Number of social media likes or sales?
BEST MOMENTS
‘Pop ups are the best way to get your brand out there’
‘They give you a really easy way to test out your brand’
‘Understanding the area is key’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.sookspace.com
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today Nicole is joined by serial entrepreneur Hayley Southwood, founder of Southwood Social, Southwood Living, a lifestyle & interiors ecommerce business and Hayley has just recently created a beautiful events space that can be hired in the Norfolk area.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Hayley opened her very first Ice Cream business in 2002 but when her mum was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer her world turned upside down. A year after she sadly passed away in a moment of madness, Hayley bought an old ice cream van off eBay and started the business in 2009. Doing up the van became a form of therapy for Hayley. Hayley won Country Homes New Business of the year in 2010 after scribbling on an application form and the prize entailed £6000 worth of PR and marketing and 6 sessions with a business coach called Jessica Rogers. That little van changed her life forever. Hayley was featured in over 100 publications and had the best time attending parties and weddings all over the UK. The van was used for films, massive brand campaigns in the summer and in the winter, Hayley started helping other brands with their social media strategies. Southwood Stores was born on Hayley’s kitchen table in 2013 and then progressed to a lodge in the garden. Whilst this was very fulfilling, she often felt huge waves of loneliness and felt overwhelmed and often out of her depth. Hayley didn't have anyone to vocalise her concerns and challenges to. She had created an amazing job but didn't have anyone shey could connect with who could identify her journey.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It all looks like stepping stones now I look back on it’
‘Schools don’t do enough to harness that entrepreneurial spirit’
‘It felt like a reflection of who I was, not just a business’
EPISODE RESOURCES
www.southwoodliving.co.uk
www.southwoodsocialhub.co.uk
www.instagram.com/southwoodsocialhub
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Are you neglecting your email marketing? Not really sure what you should say or how to engage with your customers. Then today's podcast is for you. Nicole is joined by Loren Nally, who has 25 years experience in ecommerce and digital marketing. The topics they cover include email marketing, why you need it, how to use it, how often to use it, what makes a good email that converts among other things.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Email marketing is important for all businesses but especially retailers and product businesses. It can make up to 20% of your overall sales and is so easy to set up. Social media marketing has the problem of algorithms changing all the time, but with email you just go directly into their inbox. You can be emailing your prospective customers before you have even launched your product. A nurture sequence is an automated series of emails that someone receives when they subscribe to your email lists. It starts to build trust with your subscribers. Loren recommends having more than one different welcome email because sometimes people purchase before signing up, and this avoids then getting the same email twice. The best kinds of welcome emails are one that shows who you are, one that shows your values, and one that might offer a discount, but remember it’s not always about sell sell sell. Loren’s tips for getting people engaged with email marketing and converting are. 1. Just start, but do it in the right way, being GDPR compliant and double opt in. 2. Have your welcome email, if you do nothing else, get this right. 3. Clear out your lists 3 or 4 times a year, it’s quality over quantity. 4. Segmentation. Get the right message to the right people at the right time.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I don’t think I could even convey how important email is’
‘I find welcome emails having the highest conversion rate of any email’
‘If they’re not clicking on Black Friday type sales, they’re not going to buy from you’
‘You must preview what it looks like on a mobile version’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Website - https://www.retailmarketingacademy.co.uk/
Free masterclass on the 18th May 2022 https://www.retailmarketingacademy.co.uk/accelerator-masterclass/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/retail_marketing_academy/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theretailmarketingacademy/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The fashion industry is worth 31 billion in Africa and there is a rise in the number of UK and European retailers importing from Africa. Jacqueline Shaw is an expert in African sourcing and founder of Africa Fashion Guide and new platform Fashion Africa Trade Expo. She joins Nicole this week on Start Scale Succeed to tell you everything you need to know about sourcing from Africa.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Sourcing from Africa differs from the Asian market because of the processing supply chain. In Asia supply chains are common but in Africa they are much more limited across the continent with the raw products shipped out before being processed. Big retailers such as Gap, Tesco, H&M, and TK Maxx have been sourcing high street products from Africa. The main challenge with sourcing from Africa is logistics, it’s not set up in the same way most of us are used to and is highly priced in comparison. If you want some samples you have to order enough to make it worthwhile with the high cost of shipping with reputable carriers. Another issue is to do with access to materials, you might think it was a quality issue, but the access to the right materials is more complex. You might have wonderful fabric, but the zips they can source are of a lower quality or maybe the fabric is only available for a limited time. A lot of sourcing to Africa is from Dubai so you’ll see a lot of African manufacturers set up over there. Places like South Africa, Lesotho, Madagascar, and Mauritius will typically do the 3000 minimum piece orders. Jacqueline’s platform Fashion Africa Trade Expo serves small to medium sized businesses. The Fashion Africa Trade Expo (the F.A.T.E.) is the African clothing, textile, leather and accessories go-to sourcing platform for B2B users. It provides an opportunity for producers from the African continent to showcase their product and trade their services to new markets, creating exposure for them to new markets.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s about sourcing in Africa, making in Africa, trading with Africa, and building in Africa’
‘You get wonderful African print fabrics that you don’t find anywhere else’
‘Unless you’re going to do the quantity, you will be challenged’
‘People think oh poor Africa, it’s going to be cheap’
‘Going to the continent is going to be a major thing’
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.africafashionguide.com/
https://fashionafricatradeexpo.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Masterclass training
https://jacquelineshaw.lpages.co/4-step-framework-webinar2/
Free guide to get started
https://jacquelineshaw.lpages.co/7-top-african-fashion-business-ideas-guide/
www.jacquelineshaw.co.uk
Author: Fashion Africa published by Jacaranda Books available on Amazon.com
Director: www.africafashionguide.com
B2B sourcing agency:
www.fashionafricatradeexpo.com
Coaching and training:
www.fashionafricabusinessacademy.com
Business trips:
www.fashionafricasourcingtrips.com
Events
http://www.fashionafricaconference.com/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As a small business owner you are the one that is often spinning all the plates, you’re the social media manager, the content creator, the designer, the buyer, the packer, but what about when your business starts to grow and you need to think about hiring staff? Today Nicole is joined by Mandy Hamerla, founder of modernhr.co.uk, the go to hr expert for when you are scaling your business when the business can’t function with just you anymore. We are going to talk about how you know if it's the right time to hire staff. What to look for in your new hire. And what do you do if it doesn’t work out?
KEY TAKEAWAYS You know it’s the right time to hire staff when you have too much work on your plate and are reaching burnout, when you need to match your ambitions, and when you need a skillset you don’t currently have. People often ask if they can afford to bring in another person, but you should ask yourself how you can afford not to bring someone in. If you outsource one thing, how much time is that saving you and what can you invest that time into. There are three types of people you can hire, a freelance contractor who is self-employed, employees which can be full time or part time or fixed term, and there is a worker which is in the middle of the two. When thinking about hiring someone be really clear about what the outcome will be. Where is that return on investment going to be? Make your contracts easy to understand. Make sure it is clear to everyone involved what is required and expected.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Just because you outsource something once doesn’t mean you have to do it every time’
‘Some people see hiring as a cost, I see it as an investment’
‘Hire your weaknesses’
‘You need to hire to grow’
EPISODE RESOURCES
Free Hiring Cheat Sheet - https://go.modernhr.co.uk/free-hiring-cheat-sheet/
Popular Hiring an Employee Bundle - https://www.modernhr.co.uk/products/hiring-toolkit
Premium Contract Templates - https://www.modernhr.co.uk/collections/contract-templates
https://www.modernhr.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/modernhruk/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandyhamerla/
https://www.facebook.com/ModernHRUK/
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Social media ad specialist Aggie Meroni works with ecommerce businesses to grow their customer base and increase their revenue through ads. She joins Nicole this week on Start Scale Succeed to discuss how to create ads that work and what you need to have in place to give them the best opportunity for success.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Aggie found her love for social media ads after retraining in digital marketing. You need to make sure you have everything in place before you even spend a penny. Don’t be put off. You can figure everything out, yes the techy side can seem like a minefield but you’ll get on top of it eventually. You need to have your Facebook pixel installed on your website. If you use shopify then this is reasonably straight forward. Your conversion rate should be at least 2%. Anything under 1% then you shouldn’t be advertising. To increase your conversion rate make sure people have an easy experience. Have multiple payment methods that suit the user. Have genuine reviews posted on your website. And have all of your delivery info and returns policy easily accessible. You should invest in a product photographer because good photos will help sales. People don’t decide if they want to buy from a Facebook ad, they decide on the website itself. The ad is just there to get them onto your site. Make sure you know if there is a demand before you advertise. You should already have sales to prove it’s a product people actually want. There are five things you need to do to have a good ad. Building the ad itself is the easy part, it’s the planning that's hard, these tips should help you in that stage. 1. What’s your messaging and your hook? 2. Is your ad creative? 3. What is your objective? 4. What is your offer? 5. What is your budget? Grabbing attention is key. User generated content is a great marketing tool, it’s like word of mouth but in a visual medium. Aspirational photos and unboxing videos can also help grab attention.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Your website has to be a high converting machine’
‘It’s not how many followers you have, it’s how engaged they are’
‘Ads don’t work forever, you need to be proactive’
‘The lifetime value of customers is the most important thing’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
Link to freebie: https://whitebeedigital.com/free-facebook-ads-set-up-checklist/
Website: https://whitebeedigital.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitebeedigital/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
True testament to starting a lean fashion business is Leigh Unwin, founder of The Style Attic which as the name suggests, did actually start in her attic in 2015 to fit around the needs of her family. This Start Scale Succeed episode is a recording of an Instagram live Nicole did with Leigh. Some of the topics discussed are: Starting a business around the needs of a family. Juggling a side hustle, full time job and family. Running the business through word of mouth and Facebook in the early days. Overcoming obstacles. And engaging customers through being authentic, honest and truly themselves.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Leigh has gone from strength to strength selling womens clothing and did eventually open a bricks and mortar store followed by her own website in 2020. It's now a true family affair with both her mum and sister involved in the business. Leigh found it hard being a new mum working a job which wouldn’t let her do less than one minute of her contracted hours. Covid was actually a benefit to some small businesses and The Style Attic had the best summer in terms of sales. Before the pandemic Leigh was selling online through Facebook but needed a website for May 2020 and when it launched sales were great. There is always a challenge being taken seriously when you run a business from home. Although in the post Covid world, this has become more common.
BEST MOMENTS
‘We just want to sell clothes to the people like us in situations like ours’
‘We just try and be real’
‘I want to grow but I don’t want to grow too quickly’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
https://thestyleattic.co.uk
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As a fashion start up one of the challenges that is often faced is finding the right supplier for your business particularly one that can manufacture smaller minimum quantities. Today, Nicole is joined by one of the founders of Resource Fashion, Ziqi who has established Resource Fashion to help combat that problem.
The 4 main stumbling blocks when you are starting your brand are: Minimum Order Quantity Quality Timelines Communication
Tatiana and Ziqi have established Resource Fashion, an online platform that helps solve those issues and enables you to work with manufacturers in the Far East with quantities as low as 10 units!! How? Well listen to the podcast to find out, but it's a service that is run like a subscription membership that you can cancel out of at any time. Also if you use the service and quote Nicole100 you will get a $100 dollars of your subscription fee. The team personally chat to you before you come on board to understand your needs so no more trawling through Ali baba, Google, etc to find your suppliers for fashion.
KEY TAKEAWAYS You usually find that you never know the status of your orders from overseas. Resource Fashion offers real time tracking and progress updates to keep customers informed about where their products are on the supply chain. Shipping by air has become more and more expensive, and we can see from the recent troubles with sea shipping, that things can easily go wrong there. Resource Fashion is a subscription based model with over 95% retention rate. Resource Fashion is all run off of a system where the customer can review all fabrics, designs, etc and do everything they need to do in one place. You might not know that when you negotiate a lower price, that could lower the quality of the product you receive from some manufacturers.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Everything that can go wrong, will often go wrong’
‘All the brands were telling me it’s incredible that we have this system where they can do it all in one place’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.instagram.com/resourcefashion
www.resourcefashion.co
To receive $100 off your fee with Resource Fashion use the code Nicole100
ABOUT THE GUESTS
Tatiana and Ziqi have established Resource Fashion, an online platform that is run like a subscription membership that you can cancel out of at any time. The team personally chat to you before you come on board to understand your needs so no more trawling through Ali baba, Google, etc to find your suppliers for fashion.
A production supply chain specifically designed for emerging fashion brands.
Small batch: Many clothing manufacturers require large minimum orders. We offer true small batch manufacturing on demand.
High quality: Quality fashion doesn’t just happen on its own. Our team has over 20 years of experience in production.
Short lead time: An easy online supply chain management platform gives you total control in real time, on time.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When I worked in retail we were very fortunate to have access to numerous trend websites that were all targeted at big business from a price and a content point of view. But if you are a small business, where can you get that information and how can you interpret it to ensure it's relevant to your business and customer. The answer is the better trend company. Today I am joined by Natalie and Louise, founders of The Better trend company specifically established to support independents and small design businesses to access trend reports and design strategies.
KEY TAKEAWAYS During the pandemic, examples of trends are people investing in skin care products, but not make up, and buying comfort wear, but not evening clothes. A small business can start looking at trends by looking at who your target customer is, what are they doing, what are they buying, what are they looking for. You can take it from there and tailor your designs to that. You can use trends as a brief to work towards instead of just being lost in endless possibilities. Set yourself a goal of designing something within those boundaries. Remember that your brand is your opinion, it shows your values and your aesthetics.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s just authentically connecting with people and enjoying life’
‘When you’re bombarded with so much, you feel a lot of self doubt’
‘When you’re a small business you’re juggling so many plates’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.instagram.com/thebettertrendsco
www.thebettertrendscompany.com
ABOUT THE GUEST
“The Better Trends Company is a trend and design agency with a difference. We empower Indies and small businesses with our affordable and accessible trend reports, consultancy and design strategy.
Our mission is to demystify trend forecasting and share design knowledge to support those locked out of trend and design resources, enabling them to make confident and informed business decisions.
Our focus is on responsible and ethical trends and design direction. We promote eco values, community and feminist retail to create better futures for people and planet.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This week Nicole is joined by Annabelle Mazu, the founder of Luxurious lingerie brand Ihuoma. Ihuoma celebrates the beauty of women of colour, with exquisite, sensuous lingerie with the aim to enrich, empower, and be bold about your sensuality and the possibilities that arise from living your true self, unapologetically! Find out the challenges Annabelle faced and what advice she would give an aspiring entrepreneur.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Annabelle found that the lingerie brands that were aimed at women of colour were in the mid and lower price ranges. She saw this gap in the market and decided to start Ihuoma. She felt that black women are typically shown that they’re not deserving of luxury, Annabelle wanted to say the exact opposite with her brand. Annabelle wanted to create unique pieces that are considered works of art. She didn’t want something that seems generic, she wanted the people who wear Ihuoma to feel like goddesses. Ihuoma launched during the pandemic, which might have actually been a bonus with people wanting something nice and unique for themselves after having a pretty rubbish time stuck at home. Ihuoma had a huge boost when it was featured on Beyonce’s stylist’s blog. They went from 400 followers to 2400 overnight. The biggest challenge Annabelle faced was self belief, believing that she could do it and believing that someone else would look at the brand and say yes I think this can succeed. Annabelle couldn’t have started up without a Virgin Startup Loan, which she is very thankful for as she found it next to impossible to get a loan from a bank.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I was working with all these great brands and realised there was something missing’
‘This is going to launch when it’s meant to launch’
‘You have to deal with imposter syndrome on a day to day basis’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ihuoma.co/
www.instagram.com/by.ihuoma
ABOUT THE GUEST
IHUOMA is a luxury lingerie brand that celebrates the beauty of the modern Black Woman. The aim is to enrich and empower women of colour to find their divine femininity, be bold about their sensuality and the possibilities that arise from living their true self, unapologetically!
The collections explore themes of self-love, empowerment and sensuality with the ultimate desire to show women how incredible they are in their skin by complimenting and enhancing the inherent beauty of all black women. Created by a black woman, IHUOMA, at its core, is a luxury brand aimed at Black Women, but not exclusive to her. The collections are for all women, wanting to connect to their spirit, their divine feminine
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sarah Helppi is the founder of fashion resale platform Eskadi, which is the largest preloved boutique. 3000 designers from Chanel to Rixo, mid market to super luxury fashion. Sarah joins Nicole on Start Scale Succeed this week to discuss Eskadi’s belief that a business leaves the world a better place than they found it and how Eskadi brings beautiful preloved pieces to more people more often. As well as finding out more about Sarah and the business, we are also going to talk about resale as a business opportunity
KEY TAKEAWAYS Within the next 10 years, resale is going to be a bigger business than fast fashion at about $64 billion. Eskadi is the only search engine dedicated to pre-owned designer fashion. They offer a technology based solution to the challenges shopping in the pre-owned market today, making it quicker, easier to find that pre-loved item. It allows you to search multiple resale sites at once, compare prices easily across platforms, keep track of items in a single wishlist and save time understanding authentication with an authentication score for each platform. The younger demographic tend to use resale in the same way other people use fast fashion. They’ll want something to wear once, but don’t want to pay the fast fashion prices. They’re also more likely to recycle their wardrobes more often, selling on resale sites and buying new outfits from them too. Eskadi works without having payment on their site or holding any stock. This avoids the inevitable issue of buyer seller disputes. For example if something is sold through Ebay, it’s Ebay who deals with the dispute.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Even if it’s 2 years old you won’t see someone walking down the street wearing the same thing’
‘Rental is great for occasion wear, but if you want to update your wardrobe or find that piece, resale is better’
‘The more you can focus on the problem you’re solving and the value you have, the more successful you will be’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.eskadi.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shelppi/
https://www.instagram.com/search.eskadi/
https://medium.com/@EskadiSarah
https://www.tiktok.com/@search.eskadi (if that’s your thing!)
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Before launching Eskadi, I worked at eBay for 7 years in marketing and finance. Prior to that I spent 3 wild years in the capital markets throughout the 2008 financial crisis, and have an MBA from the Ivey Business School in London, Ontario, Canada.
On the eve of #internationalwomensday I put a digital pen to paper about what it looks and feels like to face fundraising and starting a business when you are a solo parent.
We all know that a mere 2% of VC money goes to female founders and now I've seen first hand one reason why: the lifestyle and cash flow of a startup founder is simply not suited to a household on one income, in an expensive city, with small mouths to feed. The stakes are enormous, the risk is huge, the impact of failure unfathomable.
Statistically, amongst split families, it is women who bear most of the child rearing responsibilities and therefore, the challenges in the fundraising path that disadvantage solo parents are hitting a lot more women than men.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As a product business are you using Tik Tok? if the answer is no then you should be listening to this episode to understand why and what works. And if the answer is yes, then listen to find out how Tik Tok advertising compares to Facebook and Instagram advertising. This week Nicole is joined by Anna Frapwell, founder of Digital marketing agency Neon. Anna has over 20 years industry experience working at one of the World's biggest ad agencies and in house for some well known household names.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Initially, Anna found that on Tik Tok they were getting a lot of traffic compared to other digital marketing but fewer conversions. Now, Tik Tok has improved on their end, there is still a lot of traffic and higher conversion rates than before. You may think that Tik Tok is only used by younger people but their user breakdown is that 21% are between 30-39. 20% between 40 and 49. And 11% 50+. On Tik Tok, the tricky part is making your ad not look like an ad. It has to look like it’s part of that native feed and you need to keep on top of the latest trends. Ensuring you have the right hashtags will put your product in front of your audience. Identify who the influencers are for your marketplace and watch what they do. Follow #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt Tik Tok users are 44% more likely to buy a product they see on the platform. Product demos, step by step guides, and unboxing videos all do well on Tik Tok. You need to have 4 or 5 ads running at a time on Tik Tok and they will only be effective for around 14 days. This can create quite a creative fatigue. If you can get your organic content down to 7 seconds that works great. For ads keep them to 21 seconds. Repurposing Facebook and YouTube content won’t work, but you can post Tik Tok content on other platforms.
BEST MOMENTS
‘The key is to find the right creator for your business’
‘If your content is rubbish, you’re not going to be found’
‘Unboxing videos are huge on Tik Tok’
‘It’s pacey, quick, there’s a lot of movement involved’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
Anna on LinkedIn
Neondigitalclicks.co.uk
Instagram.com/NeonDigitalClicks
ABOUT THE GUEST
Anna Frapwell is the founder of Digital marketing agency Neon. Anna has over 20 years industry experience working at one of the World's biggest ad agencies and in house for some well known household names.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Do you want to know how to break through your revenue ceiling? In today's episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Lesley Thomas, the Money Mastery Business Coach. Lesley helps ambitious results driven women rewrite their money stories and reconnect with their business purpose to drive their success. Some of the areas discussed are understanding your own money story and how you can change that, how self limiting beliefs are holding you back from achieving the full potential for you and your business, and how to recognise where you may be limiting yourself.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
By the time we’re 7, we already have our limiting beliefs around money. These are mimicked from the beliefs of our parents or the people we grew up around. As children we take that money story through with us into adulthood, whereas we leave other stories like the tooth fairy behind. We continue to allow that story to limit us. We need to link our own self value and self worth to how we interact with money. We wouldn’t let someone walk all over us in our personal lives, so why should we let people do that in business? It’s not just our relationship with money, it's our relationships with ourselves. The limiting belief is not the problem, the problem is the limiting decision that the limiting belief leads you to make. If people can see that you’re investing in your business then they are more likely to listen to what you have to say. There are 8 Money Archetypes. If you're typically an over spender, but don’t mind taking risks, you may have Romantic, Celebrity or Maverick to blame. If you save well, but avoid debt/investing/taking any kind of risk, you might be an Accumulator. If you would prefer to stick your head in the sand and not think about money at all, you might be a Connector or an Alchemist. If you’re a collector of achievements and find it hard to switch off, you could be a Ruler. And if you love spending money on others at the detriment of yourself, then you could have Nurturer in your top three.⠀
BEST MOMENTS
‘We are limited, not by our abilities, but by our vision.’
‘People are going to walk all over us if we don’t put boundaries in place’
‘If you’re not shouting from the rooftops about your product, then you’re clearly not bought into it yourself’
‘There is no limit to the amount of money we can make in our business, it’s our mental revenue ceiling that limits us’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.lesleyathomas.com
Lesley A Thomas - The Money Mastery Business Coach on Facebook
Let’s Talk Money and More
ABOUT THE GUEST
Lesley Thomas is The Money Mastery Business Coach, known for her game-changing approach, Lesley has the extraordinary ability to help ambitious, results driven-women rewrite their money stories, reconnect with their business purpose and drive phenomenal success.
Whether you’re a start-up or a more established entrepreneur, you will be familiar with the frustration of under-charging and over-delivering. Most of the time, it stems from self-limiting beliefs that create mental and emotional barriers that hold you back from achieving your full potential. By releasing those beliefs, transforming negative self-talk and creating a new money story, you can start charging – and earning – what you are actually worth.
An accredited Money Breakthrough Business Coach and Sacred Money Archetype practitioner, Lesley specialises in finding your niche, capturing your unique spirit and uncovering deeply rooted limiting beliefs. She helps female entrepreneurs focus on scaling their business by teaching them the tools needed to break through their revenue ceiling.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
So much of what you see on instagram is not the real story. Today's episode is a special Q&A with brand founder Emmy Pugh from Sunday & Soul. Emmy and I have chatted before on the anniversary of her first year in business. However now she is 2 years in and really exposes the nuts and bolts. Emmy also opened this up to questions on her Instagram so this is what people really want to know, but don’t know who or where to ask.
KEY TAKEAWAYS If you have an idea for a business and plan on earning over £40,000 per year then you should register as a Limited Company. In a Limited Company, you as an individual are not liable, whereas as a Sole Trader you are. In the social media and content driven times we’re in now, you need to find something new, which is hard, having a new idea or product is a rare thing. It’s more important to find a new way to talk about it or a new way to show it. Emmy’s biggest mistake was not speaking up soon enough about the quality of products from her supplier. When she eventually decided to find someone else to work with she was initially afraid to ask for recommendations. She found her new supplier was more expensive, but she saved time not having to deal with the issues the previous one had caused. During the pandemic the cost of shipping your items to you has gone up by a large amount. That price increase has to be factored into your price points. Whatever you want to sell and however much money you’re spending on that, add 50% to that for your marketing. Out of 18.6k followers on Instagram, on a bad day only about 400 people would see Emmy’s story. You unfortunately need to spend money to be seen. Emmy found that she had a good reach marketing on TikTok, but the conversion rate was so low. The audience just wasn’t the same as the audience for her brand. New businesses might not make a profit for the first three years.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Unless you are so passionate and really want it, you’re not going to get through those tough days’
‘You have to pay for eyes on your business’
‘Your followers aren’t necessarily your customers’
‘The only thing that has been driving me is alignment with my brand, not numbers’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.sundayandsoul.com www.instagram.com/sundayandsoul
ABOUT THE GUEST
Emmy Pugh is the founder of Sunday and Soul, a casual wear brand inspired by sunny places, with comfort, joy, and confidence at its heart.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Lil & Izzy is an award winning brand with sustainability and design as it’s key focus points. Katie Brandon Byrne wanted to create products that stood the test of time and didn't cost the earth. She was inspired by her daughter's sensitive skin conditions to set up her own children's wear brand. In today's episode of Start Scale Succeed Katie joins Nicole to talk about considering both the parent and the child while designing, the challenges when you are starting out and how they are different to the challenges she now faces two years on, when to ask for support, prioritising when spinning all the plates becomes overwhelming, visibility on instagram, and influencer marketing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS The biggest challenge Katie had when starting her business was that she had no idea of the specific costs related to her field. She had experience with physical stores but hadn’t had to learn about the e-commerce side. She went with the cheapest options and that cost her in the long run. Other challenges Katie faced are that it’s expensive to create a product and you need to have some capital there to cover all these little and big costs you might not have expected. Time is a valuable thing when you’re starting out. Can you free up your time by outsourcing to someone else? If something takes you a long time to do and it would be more cost efficient to hire a freelancer with the skills you should always consider it. Remember to switch off from time to time. Working from home on your own business is something that can creep into your family life and you end up taking calls and doing emails when you should be relaxing. Set yourself a start and end time for the day. Making products that last and can be handed down between siblings is something that is so important to Katie and her brand. Katie has found that people only see brands through social media and influencers. It’s about working with the right influencer and try and test to find those right ones.
BEST MOMENTS
‘You can always make changes along the way, you don’t need to do a big re-brand’
‘If you aren’t good at something, outsource it’
‘I started this to be flexible for my family and kids’
‘Comfort is still always going to be at the forefront’
‘Influencer gifting is all very much testing’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.lilandizzy.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
According to influencer marketing hub, for every $1 that a brand spends on influencers, they get a return of nearly $6. But how do you find the right influencer for you who aligns with your brand, your customers, and your values? This week’s Start Scale Succeed is from an Instagram live where Nicole was joined by someone who knows about both sides of the coin, Stephanie O'Quigley. Find out how to build lasting relationships, gifting versus paid, and the do’s and don’ts of influencer marketing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS How the influencer aligns with your brand values and customer base is the most important thing to consider when deciding on who to work with. Just because someone has more followers, doesn’t mean they are better for your brand. The best way to find influencers for your brand is to do the research and put the time in. Search who your customers follow, who has done marketing before for someone you know, search through the relevant hashtags. You can also hire someone to find the right person for you. The biggest ‘do’ is to make your outreach personalised. Tell your prospective influencer what about them makes you think they are a good fit. Nobody wants a generic sell that you have no connection with. A bad example of this is when Stephanie was approached by an alcohol brand, despite her being sober and that being easy to find out from her socials. Don’t give it all away in the initial outreach and make it as open as possible. Ask for their thoughts before you start saying what you need from them. An influencer can lose trust with their audience if they push too many brands that aren’t right for them. Remember that being the right fit is a two way street. Be open in the initial contact if you want to gift them something or whether you are looking into paid work. Make sure you agree what the usage of any content is, for example are you able to post images on your brands pages.
BEST MOMENTS
‘You have to take away the number factor’
‘Be open to take on board all the feedback they have’
‘I want to be in the position where I can turn down ten grand for a sponsorship!’
‘Getting people excited before your launch is a good strategy’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.stephanieoq.com instagram.com/stephanieoquigley www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fiona Minett is an award-winning expert and coach who helps female entrepreneurs do their own PR and make it accessible, affordable and effective for every business no matter what size you are. Fiona joins Nicole on Start Scale Succeed this week to discuss what types of PR generate the best results. Why you should also be talking to the press about your story, not just the story behind your products. What you need in your PR tool kit. What to do if you have hit a wall and your PR has plateaued. timelines for PR and publications. How to choose the pieces the press are going to love. How to approach a PR strategy, and when to decide if you will use an agency or do it yourself.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Sometimes the most powerful PR coverage a product business can have is one where you’re sharing more about yourself or your business, rather than a product itself. A profile of a founder or business owner is often the most impactful for your sales. The “so what” test helps you peel back the layers and get to the core of what matters. Keep asking yourself “so what” so that you can get deeper answers you can use in your PR and marketing. At the bare minimum you need in your ‘PR Toolkit’ before you’re looking for coverage are a functioning website, content, and imagery. Nobody will want to feature you if your website doesn't work, or if your imagery isn’t to a professional standard. Look to see if you can involve any of your products in lists that journalists will be compiling throughout the year. Also make sure you have the quantities to back that up. Long lead magazines will work 6 months ahead of publication. Short lead magazines work 2 to 12 weeks in advance. Keep and eye on the Lightbulb Facebook group (linked below) and #journorequest on Twitter for journalists looking for someone to help with a story. See if your story, business, or product would be right for their request and if you can get yourself in an article you have free PR.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Don’t neglect telling the story of you, your product, and your business’
‘If you want to be in the pages of those magazines, you’ll need to be doing it 6 months early’
‘There’s nothing a PR agency can do that you can’t do yourself, it’s about time’
‘Start small, you do not have to take over the world on day one’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.bossyourpr.com
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
https://www.bossyourpr.com/the-pr-warm-up
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lightbulbhangout/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today I am joined by Laura Briggs, founder of ladies petite clothing brand The Shortlist. This is my second time chatting with Laura as we spoke before the brand was launched and you can catch that in episode 7 of the Start Scale Succeed. Now we are about 8 months on and today Laura and I are going to be discussing the highs and the lows, the real behind the scenes of when a brand launches and the following months. Not just the glossy highlights that people share on Instagram.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Things will go wrong. The important thing is to keep calm and keep your customers informed. Don’t let adversity knock your confidence. Launching multiple large collections every year is very full on and time intensive. But having a more limited release of new products you can learn what your best sellers are and gives you the opportunity to test and repeat. Some of your mistakes will be seen publicly and some won’t. It matters how you ride that wave and deal with the issues with a positive mindset. Not everybody is ready to buy when a new collection goes live. Laura has learned that people shop in different ways and there is a balance between keeping things in stock and creating hype on social media. Laura had a short spell of spending £35 per day on Instagram advertising leading to around 400 new followers. She is hoping this converts to sales when the new collection drops. You have to make the people on your email list feel like they’re getting some value from it, not just what’s on your instagram.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Making mistakes is the best thing I’ve ever done’
‘I see the brand as separate to myself’
‘If they’re on your email list they want to be part of your world’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.shoptheshortlist.com www.instagram.com/theshortlist
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today on Start Scale Succeed I am chatting with business strategist & consultant Dominique Mullally and we are going to be chatting about setting goals, how you can make sure you achieve them and what to do when it goes a bit wrong.
KEY TAKEAWAYS You want to make sure your business is a stable, sustainable profitable business. This is from an energy level and a financial level. Stable foundations will avoid feast and famine cycles. Understand the motivation behind your goals. You shouldn't just pick an arbitrary number and aim towards that. You need to set a realistic goal based on your values with an emotional attachment between the goal and you. This attachment helps you push through when times are tough. Start with setting an income goal for yourself. Then work out the break even costs of the business. Next add your tax obligations and make sure you understand them. Then finally look at what a good annual bonus at the end of the year would look like. That’s how you get the number you should be aiming for. Break this down into 90 day sprints to achieve the yearly goal. Habits that help people achieve their goals are accountability, understanding your weekly KPIs. People think too big so you need to break it down into smaller goals, then those milestones can be broken down into action steps and items. As business owners you need to outsource those things that aren’t revenue generating as soon as you can. These are things like admin and packaging, leaving your time free to work on those things that will make you money. Try time tracking your last working week. What are you spending your time doing and how much time did you spend doing each item. You’ll be surprised about the amount of time you spend on things that don’t help the bottom line.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Create stability and predictability’
‘Always be focused on the revenue generating tasks’
‘Don’t invest where you are, invest where you want to be’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.dominiquemullally.com Instagram: @dominiquemullally Facebook: @dominiquemullally1 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominique-mullally-24058a91/?originalSubdomain=uk Toggl Asana
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fashion Designer and Creative Consultant Lottie Woods joins Nicole on this week’s Start Scale Succeed to discuss what to ask a designer when deciding which designer to work with. What a designer will need from you. Find out about the most common mistakes people make when starting out. How to be sustainable in your design process and thinking about sustainability throughout the whole process and at the end of a garment's life.
KEY TAKEAWAYS When you’re thinking of starting a clothing brand, you should have your brand vision ready before speaking to a designer. If you can bring inspiration images, some sketches, and an idea on the size of lines and shapes, you will have a headstart on the design process. Keep in mind that different designers have different specialities, for example someone who already has experience designing swimwear will be a better fit if that’s your brand. Always bring any ideas back to the original vision. A good designer will keep working with you to do that to keep it on brand. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is working without a tech pack. It is an initial investment but if you cut corners early on then it can lead to problems later on in the design process. Another mistake people make is not to plan in advance as much as possible. People can rush into things to hit a certain season, rather than waiting a year and really putting the time into the design and planning phase. Sustainability should be built into the design of the clothing. A good quality product will be kept for longer and is more likely to be handed down or donated to charity shops.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s important to know that you can get along with your designer’
‘You’d be amazed how the most simple sketch can be helpful’
‘The most sustainable product is a well designed quality product’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.lottiewoodsdesign.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From Dragon’s Den to her own start up. Jewellery designer Jane Aspel from ‘Emma By Jane’ joins Nicole on Start Scale Succeed to talk about sourcing and funding, and starting a business. Some of the topics covered are investment, exporting, the creative process, and so much more. Find out about small testing the market and then going for it.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Jane forgot about accounting for customs fees when she made her first jewellery order so was left having to change her pricing plans. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from people who have been there and done it. Jane’s Grandad had experience in business and was able to lend his ear and help out for free when Jane was just starting out. Because it’s just Jane involved in the approval process, she can adapt to trends and get products developed quickly. The factory Jane uses closed for three months last year, but luckily they had just received a large order to tide them over until it was back up and running. Make sure you don’t put all your eggs in one basket supplier wise. Awards can do great things but if you don’t have people voting with their wallet then it doesn't mean much. Getting the recognition and the word of mouth from winning awards will help sales. You don’t get anywhere without messing up a few times, in business and in life. The trick is to see it as a lesson rather than a mistake.
BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s so important that you trust your gut from the beginning’
‘When you own your own business all these problems become your own’
‘Customs are a massive hit and nobody wants to pay that’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.emmabyjane.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hannah Saunders has gone from the RAF to starting her own children’s skin care brand ‘Toddle’, and recently receiving funding from Steven Bartlett & Deborah Meadon . After finding that there wasn’t anything on the market suitable for under 3 with chapped lips, she decided to start her own business to solve that problem. Hannah joins Nicole on this week’s Start Scale Succeed to tell not just her business journey, but her personal journey too.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Hannah took the transferable skills she learned in the RAF such as project management and the confidence to undertake difficult tasks and put those into her new business venture. Hannah doesn't have any expertise in running a product business but thinks that as a consumer you should be able to reverse engineer that into a product people would want to buy. The most difficult part of getting your product business off the ground is the initial finances. It’s hard to get someone to believe in you from the start. If you have a big social following, you might have a chance of succeeding through the Kickstarter route. If you don’t have the initial following, then private investment is much more likely to work out for you. Hannah brings in consultants to do the high stakes jobs that she admits she would not be able to do herself. For example she gets support for pitching to large retailers and also with her Amazon store. Hannah tries to get new products on the shelves as quickly as possible so if they don’t sell, then she hasn't invested a lot of time and money in the development stage.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Anyone can do this if you keep going’
‘Screaming at a wall doesn't help because it doesn’t talk back’
‘If you really want growth in your business, then pay good people to do what matters’
‘If you’re going to fail, fail fast’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.toddlebornwild.com
www.instagram.com/toddlebornwild
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today’s Start Scale Succeed is a recording of an IG live with Ali Mcleavy, who after 20 years working in buying and most recently as head of buying for Topshop has launched her own children's footwear brand Zig and Star. Join host Nicole and Ali as they chat about how the brand came about and how Ali built the brand and established relationships with wholesale partners.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Ali had lost passion for the job she was in and found that passion again creating her own brand and throwing herself into it. By finding the right people who bring their own level of experience to the table, as a new business owner you can really plug some of the gaps in your own knowledge. Ali spent more time bringing people on board, developing and sampling, and working out their brand story before launch. She could have launched in 9 months but decided to wait 2 years. One of Ali’s pieces of advice is to learn along the way while you’re small enough to learn. Zig and Star only work with partners who they think bring something to the brand, it’s not a case of trying to stock them in every single shop on the high street.
BEST MOMENTS
‘You can absolutely have kids and have a career like this’
‘Even though I’m not very entrepreneurial, I have belief in myself’
‘When you’re a small brand, certain collaborations don’t feel right’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.zigandstar.com www.instagram.com/zigandstar
ABOUT THE GUEST
Ali, mum of 3, felt frustrated at how the kids wear market directed her to buy one type of product for her daughters and another for her son. An avalanche of pink unicorns on one side of the shop and an army of dinosaurs on the other. Shoes were no better: boys’ shoes were built for adventure, but where was the colour or the fun? Whilst girls’ shoes were sparkly or impractical...
After 20 years working in fashion and footwear, she decided to tackle this head-on. To create the shoes she wanted to buy for her own children. Unisex styles in cool colours, that not only looked great but were good for their feet and for the planet. Designed in collaboration with a Paediatric Podiatrist, the styles are designed to adjust to each child and grow as they grow.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today's podcast episode is a recording of an Instagram live with Emmy from Sunday and Soul who are a casual wear brand Inspired by sunny places, with comfort, joy, and confidence at its heart. Join Emmy and host Nicole as they chat about how Emmy went from a marketing career to establishing her own successful fashion brand during a pandemic, the highs and the lows and tips for those wanting to follow in her footsteps.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Emmy's biggest piece of advice is that you will make mistakes but you’ll learn quickly and move on. Lean in to your brand when things are slow, revisit your vision and keep working towards that, engaging with your community and remaining visible. Trust yourself and your vision. It can be helpful to have an advisor, Emmy’s advisor didn’t let her lose sight of this. Emmy’s first business plan was a lot bigger than what it ended up being. She tried for investment but when pitching she felt like she already had a boss, which is the opposite of what she wanted. Emmy spent about £4000 on her initial stock as well as £1000 on branding and the designs. She built the website herself using shopify. The sales of online brands during the pandemic have gone up because it’s been harder for people to visit physical stores. Work out what problem you’re solving for people, and why you’re the one to solve it. This is all part of your vision as a person and a business.
BEST MOMENTS
"The things you can wear in London, if you wore them in Bristol you’d get looks"
"I saw women who ran their own businesses as rock stars’ "
"It’s hard to manufacture confidence because confidence come from experience"
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
www.sundayandsoul.com
www.instagram.com/sundayandsoul
ABOUT THE GUEST
Emmy Pugh is the founder of Sunday and Soul, a casual wear brand inspired by sunny places, with comfort, joy, and confidence at its heart.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the Start Scale Succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
For every single one you buy, they donate one, it’s a good brand strategy that can do some good in the world. Sarah Martin Clarke is the founder of Please & Thank You, a soap brand that offers a one for one offer donating one product for every one you buy. Sarah joins Nicole this week on Start Scale Succeed to tell her brand story and why being a business that gives back is so important.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Please & Thank You partnered with The Hygiene Bank who donate hygiene products to women’s shelters and people in need. Please & Thank You also want to raise the awareness of hygiene poverty in the UK. When talking to people at trade shows, you can assign a number to each person you speak to so you can score how likely they will be to make an order from what they’ve said during conversation. Then that’s the order in which you follow up on potential leads. One of the first pieces of feedback Sarah got form a customer was them saying that they don’t buy luxury products often, but when they do they want it to go to companies like Please & Thank You who do give back. Sarah admits she was a little naive launching direct to consumer as a product brand from scratch with limited marketing investment. Some people build an audience first before launch to create at least a small base of people who might be interested in your brand. It’s harder to grow on social media now without having to pay a load of money.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I love competitor research as it’s an excuse to buy lots of products and try them’
‘I’ve learned things about the depths of Facebook I didn’t think I’d need to know’
‘If you’ve got the idea and are prepared to put in the graft then go for it’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
pleaseandthankyou.co.uk
sarahclarkmartin.com
Sarah on LinkedIn
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
thehygienebank.com
ABOUT THE GUEST
Sarah is an experienced brand consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing industry. Strong professional skills in brand strategy and management, product and portfolio strategy, with end-to-end brand management capabilities from consumer insight and project delivery through to in-store execution and through-the-line marketing activities. Extensive beauty brand and retail experience.
Please & Thank You is a Luxury hand soap with in-built kindness.
“Beautifully natural British soaps designed to bring joy whilst keeping hands safe. Our soaps are vegan, sustainably packaged and gunk free. But that’s not all. For every one you buy, we donate another to someone in need.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As a business owner, how do you make the task of posting on Instagram enjoyable for you? Founder of Grow & Glow and Instagram expert Vix Meldrew joins host Nicole this week on Start scale Succeed to discuss that very topic. Get tips on visibility, reels, finding your rhythm, and being intentional with your content. Also find out about the work Vix does with Grow & Glow where she provides digital learning and training.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
You should be utilising all of Instagram’s features such as ‘stories’, where you can tell the story behind your brand and build a connection. You can do ‘lives’ to talk about everything behind your business and products. Then with ‘reels’ you can showcase your products, behind the scenes, and mailing out.
Instagram is not your business, it’s a tool. Yes you can grow faster if you post more content, but the more time you spend doing that then the less time you’ll have for other work. If you can set a goal for 2 posts per week then you know you can do it regularly and stick to a schedule.
When you’re just starting out you should be exploring what content you like to post and see who your audience is and what they want you to post.
Your posts are your shop window, but the other things you do like ‘lives’ and ‘reels’ are you talking to those customers who are visiting your shop.
Your Instagram is a tool to get someone who doesn't know anything about your brand to know your story and become a customer. You need to be targeting the right people with the right kind of content for your business.
Look at other small businesses and what ‘reels’ they’re posting on their page. It doesn't have to be all singing, all dancing. There are so many things you can do for different niches. You can take the same idea and apply it in a different way.
BEST MOMENTS
‘You have to make Instagram a positive habit’
‘You’ve been doing it for two minutes, chill out!’
‘Sometimes we forget that the only people who care about our Instagram is us’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/vixmeldrew
www.instagram.com/growglow.co
www.gramandgo.com
www.growglow.co
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE GUEST
Vix Meldrew:
“After 4 years, juggling blogging whilst teaching, finding myself single, then dating, then loved up and going through the grief of losing both my parents in a short time - I decided to leave my school and much-loved role as primary school teacher to: ‘Give this full time content creator thing a go’
After a year of working with brands, and then being asked by fellow bloggers and influencers for guidance on how THEY could work with brands… Grow & Glow was founded. And we’ve done so much with Grow & Glow!
In the almost 3 years since, we’ve helped over 1200 online business owners and personal brands grow their online presence, we’ve partnered with Pinterest on educational events and we’ve established ourselves as a go-to resource for learning how to use content to get yourself out there.
Personally, in this time, I’ve moved from London to the quiet Kent countryside, gotten married and been blessed with stinky-puppy kisses from our first angel Olive (who sadly passed in 2020) and Ruby, our red (and silly) cockapoos.
I didn’t like how Ruby was ripping through her toys and accessories, which were made from plastic and felt like a waste throwing away, so…
In early 2021, I wanted to try a new challenge - e-commerce, and founded Ruby & Olive, originally a marketplace showcasing the UK’s best eco-friendly and home-made pet businesses. It felt exciting to find these incredible brands who were doing so much to fight against pet-product waste and working towards bringing sustainability to this industry.
But juggling two businesses, scaling beyond what I was ready for and tackling personal health issues meant I had to put it to one side.
Luckily for me, my dear Beth, who was once one of my mentees and then a part of the G&G team came on board as co-founder/owner and we are excitedly working behind the scenes on creating our own range of eco-friendly (and gorgeous) dog collars, leads and accessories, with the aim to relaunch Ruby & Olive in 2022!
But something else has always stuck with me… And that’s my love of teaching. Whilst I’ve infused elements of ‘being a teacher’ into Grow & Glow - by hosting workshops, webinars, creating courses and designing educational content, I realised I my fulfilment really comes from creating light-bulb moments and helping my students become more confident in their abilities - and I wanted more of this.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The men's skincare industry is expected to grow to $16.3 billion in 2026 and in this episode, Nicole chats with Darren Williams, executive chairman of men's Skincare brand SCRUBD. Find out about how the brand started and went from an exclusive deal with Harvey Nichols, to now being stocked in Nordstrum in the states.
KEY TAKEAWAYS When Darren joined the brand, it had never gone to market and had never had to put in the hustle to get in front of people. When they did, they found out that the packaging was wrong, and this was the first time they had thought about this. It should have been refined for the end user before they went to market. Think of your end user and how they will use your product, where will they use it, how often they will buy it, and when will they buy it again? Do your research to find out who is in your space and how does that stack up against the competition, how can you be better and really stand out. Make your brand story your USP and main marketing line. If you want to scale, make sure everything is working before you scale. Don’t be afraid to change those things that are not working. Be meticulous with your costs as you scale you have so much more to pay for and to think about.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I was genuinely surprised by the ethics of the brand’
‘He put 4 products in a bag and said that it was too heavy, nobody will carry that around’
‘Your numbers tell a story’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.scrubd.com
http://www.williamsharding.com
www.instagram.com/scrubduk
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE BRAND
When Scrubd founder Mark was unable to find a premium, all-natural bar of soap for men, he decided to create his own.
Working with artisan soap makers, he crafted our first batch, Batch Number ONE, of hand-made soaps, designed specifically for men. Friends and family started using – and loving – the soaps, and very quickly Scrubd ran out of its first batch. They created more, and with each batch continued to refine their formula.
Fast forward to today, and SCRUBD’s much-loved soap range has developed into a hand-crafted all-natural, organic triple-milled soap block, and is joined by their naturally effective Energising and Anti-Ageing skincare ranges.
SCRUBD’s mission is simple, to help men feel great in their skin. When men feel great in their skin, they can master anything, leaving a unique mark in every area of their lives.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today's topic on Start Scale Succeed is confidence and mindset, to discuss these things, Nicole is joined by guest Roo Davis who is an accredited coach who works on gaining clarity, shifting mindset, behaviour and finding purpose. She helps people understand how they’re holding themselves back and how they can gain clarity in moving forward.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Roo calls that negative sabotaging voice in all of our heads our Confidence Gremlins. This Confidence Gremlin stops us from believing in ourselves and from having the confidence to go for the things we want and take a risk to create something great. Notice yourself. Recognise what is feeding these gremlins, then challenge the thoughts by giving them evidence of times you’ve succeeded. Logically make the thoughts untrue and make the voice seem stupid for saying them. The main three triggers of procrastination are fear, perfectionism, and a lack of self-worth. The five types of imposter syndrome are perfectionism, the genius, the superhero, the soloist, and the expert. One strategy to help overcome procrastination is to set realistic achievable goals and make yourself accountable for doing them. Vocalising the things you’re going to do can help. Momentum is a beautiful thing. Once you get into a habit it becomes what you do. You need to make sure it’s helpful thoughts and helpful behaviour.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Success can scare people. To get into the growth zone you have to step out of your comfort zone’
‘Learning is lifelong’
‘These setbacks don’t have to totally knock you off course’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/roodavies_themojocoach
www.themojocoach.com
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE GUEST
Roo Davies is the go-to coach in the UK if you want to find your Passion, Positivity & Purpose. If you’re looking to rediscover your mojo, build your confidence and make things happen, she's your gal!
Roo is a pretty unique coach as she wears a few hats… Life Coach, Business Coach, Leadership Coach, Strengths Coach and a Mentor. Whatever hat she’s wearing she helps her clients thrive in their personal, professional and business life. Roo is a qualified behavioural change coach, holds a PG Cert in Coaching and is accredited with the Institute of Leadership & Management and the Association for Coaching.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Latched UK was born out of frustration when Natalie Ward couldn’t find activewear to wear whilst pregnant and breast feeding. With a background in sports, she knew what she wanted and set to work creating it. Natalie joins Nicole on this week's Start Scale Succeed to tell us how she went from initial concept, to launch in just 8 months and how influencer marketing has really seen business boom.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Natalie didn’t outsource anything and did all the branding, design, and registering the business herself. When sourcing manufacturers she used video calls to look around the factory to make sure it lived up to her standards. Latched UK has grown from 3 products which have been tried and tested, with Natalie’s leggings lasting over 3 years, to now having 40 items available. Influencer Rochelle Hulmes helped Natalie sell out of her bestselling leggings. Influencer marketing has really grown her business all from products being gifted rather than paid promotions. Natalie’s advice is to do your market research and back yourself if you can solve a problem that nobody else can.
BEST MOMENTS
‘The only thing we could find was in Australia and was not great, so we decided to do it ourselves’
‘They said we don’t have the technology to make this in the UK’
‘People want that Prime next day delivery for their night time feed’
‘Influencer marketing changed my world’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/latcheduk
www.latched.uk
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Hi 🖐, I am Natalie. The Latched journey started in January 2018 after the birth of my daughter, Harper. Prior to her birth I thought I knew what being tired was, then my little snack feeder decided to give me a real education on sleep deprivation. Her little and often snack style appetite didn't allow much opportunity to leave the house or do anything for myself. This really took a toll on my mental health during a particularly harsh winter, I was DESPERATE to leave the house so I started googling breastfeeding jumpers and sports bras because I live in activewear. To say I was disappointed was an understatement, I sat on the floor crying my eyes out at how hard my life had become to do something as simple as walking the dog.
After a long deep and meaningful conversation with David, my husband, he encouraged me to design my own and have something made. I put pencil to paper and started drawing, worked through a process and a few months later I had samples made up and in my hands and the rest they say is history.
By the time I launched Latched in Nov 2018 I was pregnant with number 2! A whole set of new challenges ahead, 2 under 2, a new business, a summer pregnancy and all the highs and lows this brings. A winter pregnancy, a summer pregnancy and two breastfed babies has shaped Latched and the products I create, in the hope of helping and supporting other mums on their journey into motherhood.
August 2019, my son Ethan joined our family and the adventure and roller coaster continues. If you want to get a deeper insight into my chaos and join in on my journey follow me on Instagram where my stories are a backstage view!
My body has far from bounced back this time, I have found that traditional sportswear and athleisurewear doesn't support or flatter my ever-changing body so in 2020 I launched the postnatal collection. The same high quality and value for money people have come to love but without the pregnancy or breastfeeding element.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
42% of businesses fail due to lack of market need, which is a scary statistic. That number could be reduced significantly if the right market and customer research is done at the beginning when you are starting out or pivoting. This week on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Katie Tucker, founder of Product Jungle, who can help businesses do just that.
KEY TAKEAWAYS When talking to customers for market research, move the discussions offline. You’ll get much better insights really talking to a small number of people than you will with an Instagram poll. The better the questions you ask the better you will understand customers buying habits and their usage habits. Just knowing if someone would buy your product isn’t enough. When would they buy your product? How often? How often would they use it? Remember the hows and whys. In a survey, keep the big open questions until the end that need elaboration, before that have multiple choice and closed questions. If people have to do loads of work filling in your survey they won’t bother. Limit the questions from 10 to 12. You can improve the value of your brand by improving the customer journey online. Is your website easy to use? Is it clear? Are your items well packaged and on time? Make sure you listen to what people have to say, it’s not about you, it’s about them. Talk less, listen more.
BEST MOMENTS
‘People want to be helpful so they tend to just say yes’
‘It’s about how your product and services fit into people's lives’
‘You know how you feel when you’re seen and heard by a brand’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.productjungle.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/productjungle/
https://www.productjungle.co.uk/newsletter
ABOUT THE GUEST
Katie Tucker is an inspirational product leader with over twelve years’ experience in leading teams and delivering stand-out digital products and services. She is also a freelance writer and soon-to-be author.
In 2019, she set-up Product Jungle, a boutique consultancy with bite. She helps organisations really listen to customers, nail product strategy, optimise product processes and empower teams to greater collaboration and success.
Katie is also on a mission to demystify product management for smaller organisations; using tools and hacks from the world of big tech to help small businesses and charities embrace customer problems and build products and services that sell.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the UK 30% of unwanted clothing goes to landfill, so we are sending 700,000 Tonnes to recycling centers, textile banks, clothes collections and charity. To give you a visual on that that's enough to fill 459 Olympic swimming pools. This week on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Katie and Amanda McCourt, founders of sustainable underwear brand Pantee who are using fabric termed as dead stock to create lingerie.
KEY TAKEAWAYS The sisters Amanda and Katie have set up their own fashion brand using dead stock, which are unsold items that would usually be wasted and often end up in landfill. The pair had no experience in textiles so they had to start from square one finding someone to make their product as a test and had to do a lot of research into finding a manufacturer that fit into their tough ethical constraints. Katie and Amanda worked with a designer on their three styles which had already been researched with their target audience on Instagram. So they knew what to make before they got to the manufacturing stage. Even if you don’t have a finished product, you can still start to engage and create a community prior to launch. That was you don’t launch with zero visibility. Because they already had that organic audience, the Pantee Kickstarter hit 110% of their target in a short amount of time. Kickstarter generally has a male audience but some fashion brands have successfully launched on the site.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Instagram is my comfort zone, it’s our biggest revenue driver’
‘Kickstarter provides a good opportunity for press’
‘Most of the work happens before you launch’
‘It should get to the point where being a sustainable brand isn’t a USP, it’s just a given’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Amanda and Katie are Co-founders of Pantee – the worlds first underwear brand made from deadstock t- shirts. When the sisters couldn't find underwear that ticked all their boxes, they created our own. Their products are ethically made, plastic-free and one tree is planted for each and every order.
Pantee is on a mission to fight waste within the fashion industry and extend the lifespan of garments to reduce their impact. Using recycled materials is a great start, but our ultimate goal is to create products that promote a circular economy.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://pantee.co.uk/
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website
Newsletter
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Black Friday is one of the key promotional events of the year. This week on Start Scale Succeed Nicole is joined by Catherine Erdly, founder of the Resilient Retail Club. Find out all about how to prepare for Black Friday and what you need to think about in the lead up to the event itself.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Interest in Black Friday is on the decline a little with a lot of deals not actually being the best deals of the year and the lack of a connection from the UK market to the American tradition. Don’t get caught up in the rush of Black Friday, it should be part of your entire Christmas season strategy. What do you need to do for your business, don’t get caught up in what everyone else is doing. Look at what stock you have left and if the stock is seasonal. If you have a lot of brown bananas (items with little shelf life remaining) then those are the things you should be offering large discounts on. If you have large amounts of stock that are poor sellers, consider promoting those items. Let your customers know in advance if you’re having a Black Friday sale or not. If you’re not then people won’t be waiting around for the day to buy something hoping for a discount. Be clear with what your aims are and be clear with your customers about what’s on offer and when. Make sure all online sales are achievable in terms of packing and delivery times, again, be clear about delivery times. Update delivery times on your FAQs. Make sure your team is big enough in the Christmas period to fulfill your orders. Look at how you performed in previous years to gauge sales levels.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Promotions look like they’re there for the customers, but actually they’re for the business’
‘Take advantage of those opportunities’
‘Why would you buy something on a Tuesday when you could get it cheaper on Friday’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Catherine Erdly has 20 years' experience in all areas of the industry from ecommerce to the high street, with retailers such as Coast and Laura Ashley. She is also the founder of the Resilient Retail Club.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
The Resilient Retail Club
The Resilient Retail Game Plan Podcast
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website
Newsletter
Book a call with me
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Elena Daccus has sold companies up to the value of $10 Billion and joins Nicole on this episode of Start Scale Succeed. Listen in to find out about making sure your business idea is viable, researching your ideal client, how you can grow, and what you can do to make a business eventually run itself.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Unless you’re in a declining market, you can make any idea successful. You do need to have a burning desire to make it work. Listen to the customers who are actually buying your product. Don’t put too much stock into what someone on social media says, listen to the people putting their hands in their pocket and who actually buy your product. Being clear about who you are targeting is so important, bring all of your ideas back to that point. Ask yourself, is this what my customers want, what makes them buy products similar to yours. Browsing specific forums and Amazon reviews can help you find out what an existing customer base likes and dislikes about products similar to yours. You can even use those existing audiences as a testing ground for how you can improve your product and make them want to pick it up off the shelf. Minimum order requirements can be a stumbling block. It can be advantageous to find a company that can scale with you as you grow. Spending more per item for a lower volume that you know you can actually sell might save you money in the long run. By getting in front of buyers early on you can get valuable feedback on your product. Even if they don’t want to buy, you can go away and improve on what they want so next time you have a product they want.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Regret is my biggest fear in life’
‘Nobody wants a drill, they want a hole in their wall. This is what the customer is actually buying’
‘Good retailers will want to support up-and-coming brands’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Elena Daccus is a sales and business strategist who has bought and sold 50 companies up to a value of $10 billion and is also a founder of The Bossy Heels Club, a community for female coaches.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://www.bossyheels.com
www.instagram.com/bossyheelsclub
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/bossy-heels/id1544294928
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Starting and running your own business can sometimes be exhausting, especially if you are trying to balance another full-time career, a family, or other responsibilities. Today on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is chatting to Katie Phillips, burnout expert, business coach, and mentor, about dealing with being overwhelmed and burnout.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Stress can feel like an overstimulation, whereas burnout is bottoming out. You can change your job or location, but the thing you need to change to avoid burnout is your habits. The early signs of burnout are trouble sleeping, being irritable, being withdrawn, aches and pains, and skin irritation. Katie recommends keeping track of your feelings to avoid burnout. If you become aware of what you feel and the things that make you feel that way then you can change your habit to avoid that thing. The same is true for the reverse, if you note the things that make you feel good then doing them can help you release stress. You can also apply this to your work. Keep track of when you’re distracted while working and what the common themes are when you feel you’re working really well. Pinpointing is key. Burnout is not a weakness, it’s just a sign that you’ve been doing too much without support. Support is so important for taking the pressure off, even in ways you wouldn’t even think. Things like getting your shopping delivered can just take out one of those tiny tasks, freeing your time. If you notice signs of burnout in an employee or co-worker, then don’t be afraid to have a chat, just remember to keep to the facts and not project any assumptions onto the person. Remember to understand that anyone you work with, whether it’s a client or employee, they have a life outside of work with challenges and struggles. Keep your work space separate from your living space. Turn the laptop off and switch off from work at the end of the day.
BEST MOMENTS
‘My sleep was terrible, an absolute classic sign of stress’
‘Rest, do not push through, do not keep going’
‘We’re human beings, we don’t send one part of ourselves to work and keep another part for home life’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Katie Phillips is a burnout expert and business mentor. She burned out 3.5 times during a 15-year career in communication and project management - the last of which led to chronic anxiety and depression that left her sick for a year. Since recovering she has dedicated herself to helping ambitious but overwhelmed humans and businesses to balance professional success and wellbeing. She does this with 1:1 coaching, group workshops and corporate training.
She's also a qualified Mental Health First Aider that has helped hundreds of people to manage stress, improve their productivity and feel healthier and happier at work.
She describes herself as "the caring but firm friend that will help you find gentler, smarter ways of working that are right for you."
She and her work have been featured in The Independent, The Telegraph, EuroNews and more…
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Www.kdp.coach/the-reset
www.kdp.coach
www.instagram.com/katiephill
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
Join the start scale succeed waitlist. How to start & scale a product business. A 12 Week programme: thebuyerandretailcoach.com/startscalesucceedwaitlist
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
What are the legal basics you should know for your business? In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Babs Jamieson founder of Jamieson Law, and host of Legal Leverage podcast. Hear all about their mission to make legal easy to understand, straight forward, and easy to apply. Find out what are the legal basics you need to have in place and to have considered when starting out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Make sure you set up the right structure for your business. Are you getting the right tax benefits that are right for you if you’re a sole trader or a company. As a sole trader, if your company get sued, then you get sued. A sole trader would have fewer admin to do. It's vital to register with data a protection company in the country you’re operating. Make sure you have insurance. Public liability and usually professional indemnitee as well. Website terms and conditions are your contract with your online customer base. So ensure they are covering you and also have your privacy policy easily accessible and accurate. Just because you’ve named your company or have a website domain name doesn’t mean you own that name. Trademark your name, branding, and logo. The only reason you shouldn’t do that yet is if you’re so new that doing so is unaffordable. When applying for your trademark, Babs recommends using the Right Start Process, you’re essentially paying an extra £30 for advice that will make sure your application is accepted. Also, when applying for a more generic name then ensure you have things like logos and branding included in your application as it’s more likely to be accepted.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Someone could come along and trademark your name if you haven’t’
‘If you’re a product business listening and you don’t have an e-mail list, you should!’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Babs is qualified in England, Scotland, Ireland, New York and California, and advises on a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters.
She saw the issues with the legal sector and was on a one-woman mission to shake things up! Babs has worked in big law firms, and with lots of small to medium-sized businesses, and knows there is a disconnect between what clients are looking for, and how big firms treat their clients.
Babs places huge value on building relationships - understanding a client’s business, supporting a growth journey, and being that port of call along the way.
She believes that all legal advice should be easy to understand, straightforward and easy to apply.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://jamiesonlaw.legal/free-resources/
https://jamiesonlaw.legal
www.instagram.com/babsjamiesonlawyer
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Anna Frapwell, founder of Neon Digital. Find out all about Facebook ads, and what you need to have in place as a product business before you even think about spending money on advertising.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Anna asks her potential clients some key questions before working with them. Have you got a product that is proven? Does it sell in some way without marketing? Are you active on your social media channels? Do you know who your audience is, and why do they need your product? Your product usually isn’t unique so you need to make sure that the story of your product is right and engages people. You could have the best advertising in the world, but if your website isn’t right then it’s not going to convert into sales. You need a good easy to use website or else you will lose out on sales. Find similar products and read the reviews to find out if your product can fill those gaps. Use that in your storytelling in the marketing. Find out what language people use when they talk about them and utilise that too.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Optimise your website’
‘The thing that will stop the scrolling is the image’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Anna Frapwell is owner of digital marketing agency Neon. She has over 20 years industry experience working at one of the World's biggest ad agencies and in house for some well-known household names. Launching Neon has enabled Anna to fulfill a dream to support e-commerce business owners amplify their sales through strategic digital marketing campaigns.
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.neondigitalclicks.co.uk
www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Claire Winter, a trainer, coach and host of the Cracking Content podcast. Claire helps coaches, creatives, and product-based businesses to amplify their message through storytelling, content and PR, so they can make a bigger impact.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Stories are twenty-two times more memorable than facts. And sixty-two percent of conversations involve stories. It’s the way we communicate as people so you should use it in your content. The best storytellers use the structure of Joseph Campbell’s ‘Hero’s Journey’. Storytelling engages your audience. It takes them on a journey, it evokes memories and feelings. Bring your audience along with you rather than just telling them facts. Claire believes that audio is the best medium to get your story across to an audience. They’re already engaged with you and have brought you into their lives. Don’t be afraid to recycle content from podcasting for example and use it in other forms of media.
BEST MOMENTS
‘What is your USP? What differentiates you? That’s your story’
‘Start with why. Why do you do what you do’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Claire Winter is a trainer, coach and host of the Cracking Content podcast. She is passionate about helping coaches and creative entrepreneurs to amplify their expertise through storytelling, content and PR so that they can get more sales and make a bigger impact. Claire uses a blended coaching and mentoring approach to ignite her client's creativity so they can share their authentic voice and story. She is a trained NCTJ journalist and started her career at ITN in radio and television. She also runs a Facebook community called Cracking Content where she shares writing, content and PR TIPs
VALUABLE RESOURCES
https://www.thefemaleceo.com/blog?tag=claire+winter
https://clairewinter.info/freebies/30-content-ideas-in-30-minutes/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/crackingcontent/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireWinterUK/
Twitter: @clairewinteruk
Insta: @clairewinteruk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-winter-writer/ Clubhouse: @clairewinteruk Website: www.clairewinter.info
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Laura Nolan Horgan founder of interiors and lifestyle business LNH Edit. Hear all about how Laura went from having life changing surgery to putting herself and her family first, all while setting up her own business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Nicole thought she had hit a wall when the tabletop design scene blew up just as she was getting into it. She had her fabrics and designs all ready but felt that she had missed the boat. It was only when she posted about it on Instagram and showed what her designs would have been that people got in touch telling her to keep going and that they loved her products. Nicole found working within a larger company didn’t give her the access to information she wanted. She wanted to be sitting in on the board meetings and hearing everything about how the business was doing. Getting to know your suppliers over Zoom isn’t idea. When things were easier to do in person you could build and develop those important relationships in person. Talking online it always seems to be focused on business, which while being practical, isn’t the best way to get to know each other which is so important.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Instagram was kind of like my therapy’
‘I wanted to do it using as many sustainable and ethical products as possible’
‘Once Covid is done I’ll be first in line at every trade show’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.lnhedit.com
www.instagram.com/lauranolanhorgan
www.instagram.com/lnh_edit
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Jason Nelson, digital retail expert and holistic e-commerce consultant. This is a must listen for anyone with an online retail store. Find out how to grow your online sales, optimise SEO, and create a better customer experience on your website.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Only ten percent of small businesses succeed within their first year. Make sure you choose the right platform. Squarespace or Wordpress are great but require fine tuning and every time you grow, you’ll have to spend time configuring your website to adapt to your needs. Don’t spend too much time working on your website. Jason recommends Shopify because for e-commerce, it does 98% of what you need out of the box. Your website should be easy to navigate. Your most popular products should be in the navigation bar. Remove the home button, the customer will click the logo to go to the home page and it just takes up space. Optimise image sizes for your website. Shopify will tell you how to do this. Make sure your shopping options are only one click away. The more clicking around someone has to do the easier it is to lose the sale. The best performing websites are black text on a white background. Different colours make it harder for the readers eye to digest the words on the page. Create a waiting list for sold out products. Have an automated e-mail when the item is back in stock to make customers feel like they are getting a premium service from you. You will get a higher conversion in terms of sales. Don’t bother with advertising online until you have optimised your e-mail marketing. Your existing customers are more likely to come back and cheaper to advertise to. Your e-mail marketing should be generating roughly 30% of your sales. If this isn’t the case then you aren’t marketing yourself to your mailing list well enough.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Getting caught up with the speed of your website is a tunnel I wouldn’t go down’
‘It’s seven times more expensive to sell to a new customer than it is to sell to an existing one’
‘If there’s a big brand who already do what you do, then you can target their audience through Facebook advertising’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.jasonnelsondigital.com
Jason's Instagram
www.klaviyo.com
www.shopify.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the episode this week, Nicole is joined by Laura Briggs founder of petite clothing wear brand The shortlist. This is a recording of an Instagram live where Laura talked about leaving her recruitment business and starting a new British made clothing brand. Find out about UK manufacture, the high of going viral early on and lows having to change designers half way through the collection.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Laura’s advice for anyone thinking about starting their own business is to decide where you want to get to, decide how you’re going to get there, and tackle each thing one by one. By breaking it down into smaller tasks it makes them more manageable and not overwhelming. Your brand is created from your vision. Laura tells us how she changed designer mid-way through the process because the designs were just too far from what she envisaged. It can be helpful to get a second opinion from someone you trust to gain an outside perspective on these potential issues. Remember, what is your brand and what does it stand for. Happiness in what you do is so important. Laura left her last role because of this and in setting up her own brand has set herself some descriptive goals for how she’ll be feeling by the end of each period. They are busy, established, and excited. When starting out you won’t hit all your financial goals straight away, so having goals like this can boost your confidence.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Often when you’re at your lowest point, that’s when you know you’re about to turn a corner’
‘Keeping things in small runs is a great way to avoid waste and be more sustainable especially when starting out’
‘You don’t want to run away with the excitement of things. I want to do everything in a really smart way’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.shoptheshortlist.co.uk
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Nicole is in discussion with Lucy Werner, PR and branding expert. Get business advice for pre-launch PR, how to promote when you’ve just started out, and effective post launch campaigns. If you’re asking “how do I get my product mentioned in the media” then this is the podcast for you. Also hear about what goes on at Lucy’s company, The Wern and her new book ‘Brand Yourself’, due out on the 7th of September.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Plan your pre-launch marketing strategy. Get your press release and images ready before you even need them, and make sure to have your professional press shots embedded so the reader can instantly see your hero product. So many people spend time prioritising social media and neglect having a good newsletter which can often drive more interest and sales. Ensure the people you’re directing to your website through both mediums have a professional landing page to arrive at. You need to wow at the first opportunity. Pre-launch on social media using clever ideas that aren’t just showing the product. We’ve seen fun and inventive posts in the past where the audience has been taken on a behind-the-scenes journey of how and why your product was made. Think about what your reactions are. What might go wrong? Delays? Copycats? Bad customer feedback? Have a template already built for these things and future forecast any potential problems. Use media to your advantage by joining the Lightbulb Facebook group (linked below). In the group you will see requests from journalists looking for experts to talk on a specific subject. See if you can link your product into one of these interviews that might be tangentially related. Be clear of what is being asked of you and if you can fit into that. Put yourself in the journalist’s shoes. They’re giving you the platform so care enough to give their audience something they want. When creating a media list, do your research into who the journalist is and what angle you should use to approach the publication. Make it personal to the audience you're pitching to. Generic proposals can easily be overlooked so instead of writing your company name and product in the subject line, why not entice the reader into clicking on the email with a catchy, well thought out line.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Think about Beyonce taking eight months to rehearse for Coachella. You’re not taking too long, social media makes it look like things happen overnight’
‘Look at the media spaces your audiences are already in’
‘Attachments aren’t friends. They aren’t always opened. Embed your image into the email’
‘How much time should I spend on PR? Well, how much time have you got!’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Pre-order 'Brand Yourself'
Buy 'Hype Yourself'
TheWern.com
Follow Hype Yourself on Instagram
Follow Lucy on Instagram
Lightbulb Facebook group
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Nicole is in discussion with Pamela Laird, Beauty Entrepreneur and Previous UK Apprentice candidate. Pamela Tells us about how she went from working in a salon as a teenager to creating her own beauty brand Moxi Loves. Learn about why her bestselling product had to be discontinued and how Pamela ended up in Lord Sugar’s boardroom. She talks about Her vision for waterless beauty and what personal & professional success look like to her.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Launching a bespoke product requires a large order from manufacturers as opposed to the small numbers you can get for simply altering an existing one. You need to be resilient in the face of lack of progress trying to get your products into store. Patience and persistence will pay off. The people you’re pitching to are usually as busy as you are and have a lot to get through. Be front and centre for your brand. It’s all well and good having distributors but you need to maintain a relationship with the buyer. You're the best person to passionately push your product. Having investment is important in building a talented team with the right skills to allow your business to scale.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I wish I had known that the buyer relationship was such an important thing’
‘Working in a team with really good people is so inspiring and there is so much value in that’
‘My advice for people thinking about starting a business is you have to just start’
‘You’ll never work as hard as you will for your own business’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Moxi Loves on Instagram
Pamela Laird on Instagram
moxiloves.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In the summer, thoughts often turn to holidays and warm evenings, but could now be the perfect time to consider your Christmas strategy?
In this episode, Nicole talks about why you should be thinking about your Christmas goals, and how best to prepare yourself, and your product business so as to make the most of the busiest shopping period of the year...
KEY TAKEAWAYS On average, sales from December tend to make up around 30% of most business's revenue - more if you sell seasonal items. Think about last year's best-selling items and consider whether or not they're still relevant? Could they be updated for this year? Most importantly, if you plan to stock them again, have you bought enough? If you have a bricks and mortar store, have you thought about the layout of your shopping space? Remember that impulse areas work best around the till areas. Consider hiring. VA or assistant to help you in the run up to the Christmas period, They can take the pressure off you and double your working potential in this most busy of periods!
BEST MOMENTS
'This might be the last thing you want to think about when it's 27 degrees outside!'
'Have a look at what price points worked best for you'
'Double-check all your lead times with your suppliers!'
'This can really help you focus and prioritise your time in the business'
VALUABLE RESOURCES
Book a call with me at https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall
PR Dispatch - www.prdispatch.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Nicole is in discussion with Lucy Haslam, founder of children’s-wear retailer, Acorn and Pip, who are celebrating five years in business.
Lucy discusses the ways in which she took her business from a market stall in Manchester while working as a teacher, to going full-time with the business and taking operations online in 2020. Lucy also talks about the way her brand has evolved, along with practical advice on the steps she has taken to create the brand that Acorn and Pip is today.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Making the leap between employment and following our business dream, is all about making sure our plans are well made, that our future is in sight, and that the systems and processes are in place. Situations aren’t always perfect, but we can mitigate and overcome challenge by planning. Identify your unique selling point. The brands that lodge in people’s minds are the ones who know how they stand alone. Look at your sales funnel and examine the ways in which your customers arrive, and what shape their journey takes as they pass through your sales process.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I planned out the dream. I knew what I wanted Acorn and Pip to become’
‘My head and my heart were saying “you’ve got to do this”’
‘There are communities out there, where you can learn from each other’
‘You don’t have to be better than your competitors. You have to be different’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.acornandpip.com
www.acornandpiploves.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Nicole offers some of the most valuable insights she’s gained from her own journey in business, as well as from those in the top tier of the business world. It’s a practical, insightful guide through some of the finest business wisdom out there, including what to do when you hit a slow period, the importance of preparation, and why you should take action as soon as possible!
KEY TAKEAWAYS Always do your research! Making sure you’re prepared from the outset can save you time and money, as well as maximise your profits. You can’t get anywhere in business unless you take action. Stop waiting and procrastinating and take action today. During slow periods of business, it’s always worth taking another look at your purpose, revisiting your vision, and engaging with your community in creative ways Never dwell on errors. We all make mistakes. View them as lesson, pick yourself up, and get moving. Keep that momentum high.
BEST MOMENTS
‘Don’t forget its always easier to reduce something than it is to increase after you’ve launched’
‘Don’t wait for perfection. It will nearly never happen’
‘Understand your own strengths and where you need support then ask for that support when you need it!’
‘At some point you will make a mistake. Learn from it and move on’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
If you're interested in the email list resource mentioned in this episode, send a message to Nicole at nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach
www.klaviyo.com
www.typeform.com
www.smartsurvey.co.uk
www.edited.com
www.globaldata.com
www.wgsn.com
www.statista.com
nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Nicole talks to Moira Fuller, founder of Craftiosity, a specialist in helping people to establish and grow their subscription box business, and the author of ‘The £100k Subscription Box Masterclass’.
Moira talks about how she grew her business from the kitchen table to a six-figure concern, why you should always follow your instincts when it comes to business, and the secrets behind how to build a successful subscription model for your business.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Sometimes it takes trial and error to find our place in the business world. Never assume that you can’t make a change for the better, no matter where you are. When you’re a part of a small business, implementing automation, systems and processes can help you to accelerate growth and establish patterns for the future Subscriptions appeal to people as specially curated collections of products are desirable. They have to involve products that people buy regularly, and which have that wow factor. By focussing on subscription models, we are selling direct-to-customer, instead of going through a middle-man. This affects profit margins considerably, and also allows you to develop a personal, intimate rapport with the people you supply.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I enjoy the creativity of creating something’
‘There was a very strong gnawing inside, that this was the right thing to do’
‘You have to work out if it makes sense for your customer’
‘It’s about creating little moments for people’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.moirafuller.co.uk
www.instagram.com/subscription_box_academy
https://www.moirafuller.co.uk/8-elements-to-100k-subscription-box-masterclass-join
www.craftiosity.co.uk
www.instagram.com/craftiosity
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Want to start, scale and succeed in your product business? This weekly business podcast is here to empower you to do just that by providing you with inspiration, motivation and insight from entrepreneurs and experts to help you in the retail industry.
This podcast includes tips, tactics and conversations that you can learn from and implement into your own business - from start-up entrepreneurs that have just launched, to multi million pound businesses. With tips from experts and how to’s to help your business grow to enable you to live the life you crave. From side hustle to stock market and everything in between.
Start listening and subscribe now.
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and coach for entrepreneurs and small to medium sized business owners, helping them start and scale their product businesses as The Buyer And Retail Coach (TM)
CONTACT METHOD
Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk
Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com
Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.