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...
Oct 17, 2024•16 min•Ep. 164
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:...
Oct 11, 2024•27 min•Ep. 163
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 tub...
Oct 03, 2024•49 min•Ep. 162
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 bod...
Sep 26, 2024•1 hr 6 min
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 yo...
Sep 19, 2024•29 min•Ep. 160
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, inc...
Sep 04, 2024•28 min•Ep. 159
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...
Aug 29, 2024•33 min•Ep. 158
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, emphas...
Aug 21, 2024•41 min•Ep. 157
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...
Aug 15, 2024•24 min•Ep. 156
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 cus...
Aug 07, 2024•22 min•Ep. 155
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 T...
Aug 01, 2024•45 min•Ep. 154
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 complian...
Jul 25, 2024•35 min•Ep. 153
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. -O...
Jul 18, 2024•39 min•Ep. 152
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 ...
Jul 11, 2024•49 min•Ep. 151
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 Under...
Jul 05, 2024•42 min•Ep. 150
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...
Jun 20, 2024•28 min•Ep. 149
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 wha...
Jun 13, 2024•31 min•Ep. 148
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 proposit...
Jun 05, 2024•39 min•Ep. 147
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 buy...
May 23, 2024•39 min•Ep. 146
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 c...
May 15, 2024•30 min•Ep. 145
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 Wha...
May 09, 2024•27 min•Ep. 144
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 t...
May 03, 2024•34 min•Ep. 143
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:** ...
Apr 26, 2024•32 min•Ep. 142
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 ...
Apr 18, 2024•43 min•Ep. 141
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 industr...
Apr 11, 2024•27 min•Ep. 140
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...
Apr 04, 2024•27 min•Ep. 139
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...
Mar 28, 2024•29 min•Ep. 138
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 he...
Mar 22, 2024•37 min•Ep. 137
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 c...
Mar 07, 2024•31 min•Ep. 136
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 em...
Feb 29, 2024•22 min•Ep. 135
