Shows
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesBonus Episode! E-commerce Experts Reveal Their Fundraising Secrets For Attracting New Investment In Your BusinessFor our last episode of the season, we have something extra special for you! In this episode, we present a recording of a recent online event hosted as part of Brightpearl's Peak Season series on finance and fundraising in e-commerce. Our host, Caroline Baldwin sat down with Emily Bendell, Founder and CEO at Bluebella, and Nick Torday, Co-founder and CEO at Bower Collective.Unmask the secrets behind successful e-commerce fundraising with Emily and Nick. This episode is an exploration of their fundraising sagas, the highs and lows, triumphs, and lessons learned. They pull back the cur...2023-11-0655 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHow to Hyper-Scale E-commerce Brands with James Ewens: A Tech-First ApproachToday, we are excited to welcome back James Ewens, a leader who has taken the e-commerce world by storm. James is now a Director at Open 24 Seven, overseeing an impressive portfolio of e-commerce brands, including Green Feathers, Alexander Francis, and SpyCameraCCTV. Want to uncover the secret behind three successful e-commerce brands? James is here to spill the beans. After leading Furniturebox to sales growth of 95% over the last three years, soaring to £17 million, James is back with Open 24 Seven after a seven-year hiatus and is once again disrupting the market.In this episode, J...2023-10-2338 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesThe Tech Stack of a Beauty Retail Giant: A Deep DiveOur guest this week is Rakesh Aggarwal, the visionary owner of beauty giant Escentual.com. He joins us to share his insights into the world of technology and its intersection with the beauty industry.The high-end online beauty retailer, which stocks brands including Burberry, Clarins and Dior is a family-grown business, launched by Rakesh Aggarwal more than 20 years ago as an online arm of his father Raj‘s chain of pharmacies in and around Cardiff.From humble beginnings in his parents' garage to riding the dot-com boom wave, Rakesh's journey is a testament to grit, en...2023-10-1640 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesCustomer Loyalty is Dead: Andrew Busby, Forbes & BBC Retail AnalystThis week's guest is Andrew Busby, renowned retail analyst and media contributor, founder of Retail Reflections, and author of "Harry Was Right All Along”.Andrew challenges the notion of true loyalty in retail and whether it even exists in a cost-of-living crisis. He expands on the changing nature of consumer behaviour, and how any misstep from a brand – from pricing to location, to marketing – can result in a mass exodus of formally “loyal” customers. We also talk about the concerning trend of greenwashing within the retail industry, where brands claim to be sustainable, but their actions te...2023-10-0935 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesFrom Taboo to Triumph: How Coco de Mer is Defying Ad Bans, Redefining Luxury and Pioneering Female PleasureImagine believing in the brand you work for with such conviction that you buy it outright 😱That’s EXACTLY what Coco de Mer’s CEO Lucy Litwack did – and in this week’s episode of Re:tales she tells us why.⚠️ Spoiler alert: it’s got a lot to do with Lucy’s pioneering belief in female pleasure as a path to empowerment.In this seriously juicy conversation, Lucy also shares: The surprising trends that helped make brands which champion female pleasure more mainstream How luxury brands are having to pivot – and offer more emotional, p...2023-10-0239 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesBluebella's Disruption of the Lingerie Market’s Dated PlaybookIn this episode, meet Emily Bendell, the inspiring brainchild and CEO of Bluebella, the fashion-forward brand that is redefining sensuality for the empowerment and comfort of the women who wear their products.From founding Bluebella to disrupt the priority of the male gaze in the industry to recent strides in challenging sexual discrimination in a private members club, Emily's mission aligns perfectly with our focus on growth, empowerment and innovation. Her journey with Bluebella illustrates the importance of creative efficacy in propelling business growth. In recognising the need for lingerie that reflected women's individual style a...2023-09-2531 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesSocks, Sustainability, and Success: How Bare Kind Found the Winning Formula by Pairing Fashion with PhilanthropyJoin us on a fascinating journey with Lucy Jeffrey, the founder of Bare Kind, as we peel back the layers of her journey from the banking sector to the e-commerce world. Lucy is a beacon of inspiration, demonstrating the power of entrepreneurial spirit and a steadfast commitment to conservation and sustainability.Lucy Jeffrey started her venture with a mission to give back to the environment and animal conservation. Initially selling reusable straws and recycled tote bags, Lucy's vision evolved into something much bigger. She honed in on the sock market, specializing in gifting socks, and incorporated a...2023-09-1839 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesDemystifying E-commerce: The Retail Metrics That Grew the White Company from £6m to £50mAre you hungry for business insights? This episode features a hearty conversation with Oliver Spark, the mastermind behind Sweet Analytics and former MD of The White Company. Oliver unpacks his unique approach to data-driven decision making, a strategy that catapulted The White Company from £6 million to a whopping £50 million. Join us as we dive into Oliver's philosophy and learn how to leverage data-driven decision making to fuel growth in the retail industry. Oliver Spark believes that understanding customer metrics is the foundation of running a successful retail business. Oliver reveals the key numbers that every e-co...2023-09-1530 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesSubscription Success: How Scribbler Generated Six Figures in Revenue and Built a Thriving CommunityCan you imagine waking up one morning with an idea that merges your passion for storytelling and your background in marketing, then seeing that idea become a thriving business? That's exactly what happened to our guest, Tori Scott, author, media veteran, and the innovative founder and CEO of Scribbler, a game-changing subscription box company curated for aspiring novelists. Tori's engaging journey from scribing young adult fantasy novels to launching Scribbler is an entrepreneurial adventure filled with insights, highs, lows, and everything in between.Tori's media veteran background laid the foundation for her authorship, but it was her...2023-09-0844 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesGlitter, Growth, and Green Innovation with EcoStardustEver imagined a world where the sparkle of glitter doesn't come at the cost of the environment?In the last episode of the series, we talk to Katherine Senior, the founder of EcoStardust, a brand that sells biodegradable eco glitter for the eco-conscious.We dive into the heart of green innovation and how a plant-based alternative to traditional glitter was born. Kath opens up about the trials and triumphs of running a business during the pandemic, and how she successfully leveraged technology to serve customers better.When you think about glitter, it's all...2023-09-0739 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesThe Changing Face of Apparel: Embracing Minimalism and SustainabilityJoin us on an enlightening journey with Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, founder and CEO of LIVSN is a premium outdoor sustainable apparel brand. With an intriguing path towards minimalism, Andrew shares how scaling back can open up a world of possibilities and introduces us to his brand's ethos of owning less but achieving more with our possessions. His perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic reveals how people's change in lifestyle has led to an increased demand for versatile and durable clothing.Delve into the world of technology that fuels LIVSN, as Andrew sheds light on the various platforms t...2023-08-3132 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesMarketing Mastery for E-commerce: A Deep Dive into SkateHut's PlaybookAre you curious about the strategies behind the astonishing growth of e-commerce brands? Want to get the inside scoop on how SkateHut became a leading hub for skateboards and roller skates amidst the pandemic-triggered economy? In this epsidoe, we chat to Richard Skidmore, the head honcho of marketing at SkateHut, who spills the beans on the firm's strategic journey and how they've remained resilient in the face of changing tides.Richard enlightens us on SkateHut's digital marketing strategies, website optimization techniques, and their secret sauce for pushing the business forward. We also delve into how to...2023-08-2436 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesNavigating the Green E-Commerce Boom with Bower Collective's Nick TordayImagine a world where plastic waste is eliminated and sustainability is not just an option, but a way of life. How can we contribute to this vision?Enter Nick Torday, co-founder and CEO of Bower Collective, who joins us to share their remarkable journey to create a more sustainable future. London-based and launched in 2020, Bower Collective is a home products retailer focused on natural, effective products with sustainable, reusable packaging. The brand acts as a one-stop shop for planet-friendly goods in home and personal care, and sells high-quality items such as laundry detergent, handsoap, supplements, s...2023-08-1740 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesFrom Apparel to Accessories to AI: The Serge Denimes Story of Success in the Men's Jewelry MarketEver wonder about the secret recipe that propels a brand’s swift transition from a clothing label to a global leader in men’s jewelry? Brace yourself for some remarkable insights from Samuel Darcy, the dynamic Managing Director of Serge Denimes. Samuel unveils the enchanting journey of a brand that has ridden the wave of the booming men’s jewelry market, and succesfully pivoted from apparel to accessories. He lays bare the challenges and rewards of this strategic shift, with a sprinkle of anecdotes from his personal journey.We then walk the tightrope between B2B and...2023-08-1034 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesA Masterclass in E-commerce with Richard Longhurst: From Building a £1BN Sex Toy Empire to Teeing Off All Over Again with Golf GadgetsGet ready for a rollercoaster ride into the world of e-commerce, as we sit down with the co-founder of Lovehoney, Richard Longhurst.In a gripping and enlightening conversation, Richard unravels the story of building the world's largest sex toy retailer, and the origin of a new golf accessory innovation, the Pocket Timer. Hear first-hand how Lovehoney rose to prominence - and a £1BN sale - through superior customer service, savvy SEO strategies, and big, often eye-catching, ideas.We then switch gears to discuss the hurdles Lovehoney faced due to adult content restrictions on social media. R...2023-08-0339 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesThe Journey to Seven-Figure Earnings in E-Commerce: Progress Jiu Jitsu's RiseEver wondered how an e-commerce business can skyrocket to a seven-figure turnover in just a few years? Join us as we chat with the Founder and CEO of Progress Jiu Jitsu, James Tighe, who shares the secrets behind his company's meteoric rise since 2018. Learn how the popularity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has positively impacted their growth, the challenges they've faced along the way, and how investing in technology and automation has been crucial to their continued success.Brexit threw a curveball at many businesses, but Progress JJ found a way to turn it to their a...2023-07-2722 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHarnessing Turmeric's Power for Wellness and Winning in Business: Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu on Health, Sports, and Successful Entrepreneurship“A lot of businesses deliver a product to the market which is going to generate profits, not positively impact health. For us, we were all about impacting health, delivering a high quality product to as many people as possible and making it convenient for them to access. Because we made that purpose our North Star, people noticed the difference.” – Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu, CEO at The Turmeric Co.Imagine experiencing powerful relief from inflammation and pain, all from natural ingredients. That's what our guest, Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu, co-founder of the Turmeric Co., discovered through his journey of crea...2023-07-2052 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesFrom Traditional Retail to Digital Powerhouse: ROKA London's Journey to E-commerce Success and AI IntegrationEver wondered how to successfully transform a traditional retail brand into a digital powerhouse? Join us as we chat with Peter Gough, Chief Operating Officer at ROKA London, who shares the incredible journey of turning their outdoor lifestyle and accessories brand into a thriving digital and direct-to-consumer business. Discover how they experienced massive growth thanks to their digital marketing approach, and the impact of increased online sales on their margins and brand.In this conversation, Peter reveals how ROKA London harnessed the power of digital technology to further grow their business. Learn about t...2023-07-1336 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesUnlocking the Secrets of Industry West's E-Commerce Success: Marketing Strategies, Innovative Technologies, and Staying Ahead in a Competitive LandscapeAre you ready to uncover the secrets behind the impressive growth of e-commerce furniture company Industry West? With 80% year on year growth and annual sales figures in the eight digits, we sat down with Ian Leslie, their CMO, to discuss the importance of product curation, being first to market with trends, and the various marketing strategies employed by the company to achieve this success.Join us as we explore how Ian has utilized social media, white labeling channels, and aligning with credible partners to boost brand awareness. We'll also dive into how e-commerce platform integrations, such as...2023-07-1035 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesBonus Episode! Sharing Lightning 50 Secrets for Fast E-Commerce GrowthSara Arthrell is the CMO at Brightpearl, and on this special bumper episode of the podcast, she joins us to share valuable insights from the 2022 Lightning 50 league table geared towards aiding the growth of E-Commerce stores, including strategies, technology and partnerships that will support and increase huge growth scale.Furthermore, as this week marks International Women's Day, Sara provides a glimpse into her own experiences and challenges as a female leader in a typically male-dominated technology industry. She also offers advice to women building their own careers on how to conquer their imposter syndrome.2023-03-1030 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHow Samanah Duran Went From Fashion to Forbes to Founding Her Own Media CompanyIn this special bonus episode of the Lightning 50, we speak to an entrepreneur going places. Samanah Duran is a British fashion designer and retail entrepreneur that launched a clothing label and founded a media company – all before turning 30. At 22, Duran launched fashion brand Critics Clothing, and recently made Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. In support of International Women's Day, Samanah's sits down with Caroline to talk through why passion - and timing - is so essential to success for female entrepreneurs.Samanah's also takes the time to chat through the background of her businesses, and expl...2023-03-0927 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesBossing Female Entrepreneurship With Cameka SmithToday we are releasing a special bonus edition of the Lightning 50 in support of International Women’s Day, and we speak to none other than Dr Cameka Smith, founder of The BOSS Network.Smith bootstrapped and founded digital platform The BOSS Network in 2009 to provide online and in-person resources, networking and community for Black women looking to build their own brands and start businesses. Since launching, the platform has reached more than 200,000 people nationally and maintains a non-profit arm that provides leadership development programs for young women of color. Smith recently announced that Sage is partnering with Th...2023-03-0833 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesBritain's Most Successful Cosmetics Brand Reveals The Secrets Behind Its Incredible 322% YOY growthIn this episode, Wild Cosmetics CEO Freddy Ward shares some fascinating insight into how the brand achieved a whopping 322% growth during 2020/21 to be crowned as the fastest growing Health & Beauty brand in Britain on Brightpearl’s Lightning 50 UK. He also revealed the tech stack that’s powering the brand’s growth and how the business is living up to its sustainability promise... 2023-03-0213 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesOvercoming 'Growth Paralysis' With Uber Popular Gen Z Fashion Brand Goose & Gander...Launched in 2013, Goose & Gander is a unisex clothing brand based in the South West of England, UK. The brand was the brainchild of childhood sweethearts, Olly and Maz. What they lacked in fashion industry experience, they made up for with vision, creativity and a bold determination to succeed. In today's episode, we speak to founder Olly White, who recounts the 'terrifying' challenges associated with rapid scale, and how they overcame them to see huge success and 140% growth last year, resulting in a 13th place spot on Brightpearl’s Lightning 50 UK.2023-02-2315 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHow Inclusivity & Sustainability Drove Festival Fashion Brand to Dizzying New HeightsFreedom Rave Wear (or FRW) is a fashion brand that specializes in bright, colorful freestival clothing. Founded in 2014, FRW creates unique styles made in San Diego, California, and is known for a commitment to sustainability and quality. For this podcast, we spoke to Co-Founder Michael Hodgen. In this episode Michael reveals the core values - and tech tips - that have driven the firm to new heights over the last year.2023-02-1616 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesOutdoor Furniture Retailer Lays Out The Strategies Behind Its Epic YOY GrowthIn today's episode, we catch up with Lazy Susan - a garden furniture brand based in Portsmouth, UK. Founded in 2007, the brand specializes in outdoor furniture.During the podcast, the brand’s founder and Chief Executive Michael Scott reveals how the business has overcome the challenges of the pandemic and Brexit to achieve impressive growth over the last 12 months, resulting in Lazy Susan being ranked highly on Brightpearl’s Lightning 50.2023-02-0919 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHow An Operational Fix Drove Massive Scale for DTC Homeware Retailer Piglet in BedIn today’s episode, Caroline speaks to Piglet in Bed, a luxury bedding, sleepwear and homeware brand founded in 2017. During the podcast, the brand’s CFO Axel Stelk shares how the Brightpearl-powered brand achieved its incredible YOY sales growth to be named one of the top three fastest growing homeware brands in the UK. He also reveals which tech tools they’ve been using to drive growth – and what they’ll be looking at in future to keep up their impressive momentum. 2023-02-0216 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHow Trello Helped Drive A 73% Sales Uplift For This Online Equestrian BrandIn series two, episode 10, we chatted with Redpost Equestrian, a leading online supplier of equestrian goods that launched way back in 1992 and has since experienced impressive organic growth online as a family-run, Devon-based brand.During the podcast the brand’s Director, Ben Tuff, dived into how the business achieved 73% growth in the last year, despite wavering post-pandemic demand and supply chain issues. He revealed the tech tools that have been used to drive growth and what it means to be ranked on Brightpearl’s 2022 Lightning 50 league table of the fastest growing online brands in the UK. 2023-01-2613 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHow This Heat Press Brand Doubled Orders With Its New Tech StackHeat Transfer Warehouse is a leading online retailer of heat transfer-related products, including heat transfer vinyl, presses, printers and custom printed clothing. During the podcast, Senior Sales Manager Kirk Anton and Director of Operations, AJ McAleer, revealed how the brand achieved impressive 30% year-on-year growth and saw a 2X order increase, driven by its tech stack of Brightpearl and BigCommerce.2023-01-1913 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesCEO Of Premium Sneakers And Streetwear Retailer Kick Game Shares The Secrets Behind The Brand's Astonishing 353% Year-On-Year Sales GrowthKick Game is a high growth brand which stocks exclusive, collectable, and rare sneakers and streetwear by big names such as Nike, Off-White, Air Jordan and Yeezy. Launched in 2013, Kick Game ships worldwide via its popular Shopify webstore and operates through six UK retail stores. On today's podcast, we speak to CEO of Kick Game, Alicia Thompson, who shares her story of how the brand's innovative marketing strategy achieved 353% revenue growth, leading them to nab 4th fastest-growing brand in the UK in the Brightpearl Lightning 50. She also revealed how the business intends to maintain high levels of g...2023-01-1213 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesCEO Of Athleisure Brand Gym + Coffee Shares The Suite of Tactics That Have Led To An Impressive 169% YOY Sales GrowthGym & Coffee is an Ireland-based fitness apparel retailer. Launched in 2017, the popular athleisure merchant focuses on socialising through fitness, using a suite of diverse marketing tools. On today's episode, we speak with Diarmuid McSweeney, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing and Community Officer at Gym & Coffee about the phenomenal strategy the brand has used to fuel its incredible 169% rate of growth - leading it to place 10th in the Lightning 50 list of fastest-growing UK brands.2023-01-0517 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesDTC Ethernet Cable Company trueCABLE On Why Great CX and Innovative Tech Is The Driving Force behind Its Impressive YOY GrowthToday, we catch up with trueCABLE, an online network cabling supplier based in Missouri. The brand was created in 2015 with the simple goal of shaking up an outdated industry by delivering the fastest, most reliable low-voltage supplies directly to consumers. Initially selling through Amazon, the business has grown rapidly and now does an increasing percentage of its business via its own Shopify-powered website. During the podcast, Jessica Floyd, VP of Marketing & Business Development at trueCABLE, shared her reaction to ranking 18th place on this year’s Lightning 50 USA. She also revealed the key role that original content and...2022-12-1510 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesSomething To Snout About: How Premium Meat Snack Brand Snaffling Pig Boosted Sales 100% YOYToday on the podcast we catch up with Snaffling Pig, a UK-based retailer of pork-based products and novelty gifts. The brand launched in 2014 with a starting fund of only £500, and is now an established retailer of the gifting sector, selling food items and gifts direct-to-consumer via its Shopify website and through a number of UK supermarkets. We spoke to Founder and CEO of Snaffling Pig, Nick Coleman, who shared his insights on how the brand has charged through the multiple retail challenges of recent years to achieve 100% growth, leading it to take 16th in Brightpearl’s Lightning 50 list...2022-12-0816 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesFormer Myprotein CEO Talks Through The Strategies That Have Driven 220% YOY Sales Growth For Wellness Brand NaturecanIn this episode, we speak to Naturecan, an e-commerce retailer of CBD wellness products based in the North West of the UK. The direct-to-consumer brand is popular on a global scale, with its safe, effective and premium hemp-derived CBD products as well as supplements, vitamins and minerals. Andy Duckworth, CEO and Founder at Naturecan, joins the podcast to discuss how the brand achieved an impressive 220% growth rate, landing them 6th in the Lightning 50 list of fastest-growing UK companies and coming top in the Health & Beauty category. 2022-12-0111 min
Retales: E-Commerce Growth StoriesHow A Single Mom-of-Three Raised America’s Fastest Growing Baby BrandToday, we catch up with Caden Lane, a Texas-based, female-founded mother and baby brand. The retailer launched as a wholesale brand in 2007 selling door-to-door to bricks-and-mortar stores around the USA, but opened a direct-to-consumer Shopify webstore in 2018 and never looked back. Katy Mimario, CEO and Designer at Caden Lane speaks to us about the brand’s incredible 4th placement in the Lightning 50 list of fastest-growing US brands, and the tech tools and strategies she believes led them to win fastest-growing Baby & Toddler brand in the States, with an impressive 132% rate of growth.2022-11-2417 min