On this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole chats with Louisa Booth, the inspiring founder behind Pop Mask and Blushing LA. Louisa shares her entrepreneurial journey from investment banking to bootstrapping and building a global beauty and wellness brand, now found in over 35,000 retail doors worldwide—including CVS, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Superdrug, and Boots. Nicole and Louisa chat about: The story behind Louisa’s first product, Pop Band (the hair ties that don’t damage hair), and her accidental pivot into the US market. How Louisa grew Pop Mask into a brand that brings joy and innovation to everyday essentials—from sleep masks to femcare solutions. The logistics of scaling internationally: cracking the US market, dealing with retail red tape, vendor setups, and surviving cash flow challenges. The reality of copycat competitors and how Louisa kept innovating and moving forward. Product development inspiration—how her own family’s needs and feedback from a multigenerational team drive new ideas. Navigating tariffs, Trump policies, and the need for dogged focus on margins  The shift to showing up as the face of the brand and connecting with customers on a relatable, human level. The rollercoaster of founder life: bootstrapping, remortgaging, 18-hour days, pinch-me moments, and finally seeing her products in major UK retailers. Louisa’s best advice for founders at every stage: trust your instincts, scrutinize every penny spent, focus on margins, and remember—there are no shortcuts in scaling a product business. https://www.instagram.com/lovethepopmask/ https://popmasklondon.com/ https://blushingla.com/en-gb 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/

In this value-packed episode, Nicole Higgins sits down with Dean Johnson—AI consultant, and experienced product business founder—to dive into the game-changing ways artificial intelligence is transforming product businesses.  Whether you're a founder at the start of your journey or running an established e-commerce brand, you’ll learn actionable strategies for using AI to streamline operations, save time, and scale efficiently without losing that crucial human connection. Highlights include  Smart ways to use AI for inventory forecasting, automating reporting, customer service, and content creation The strengths of custom ChatGPTs for more intuitive, tailored results Workflow automation using tools like Make.com   Integrating AI with Shopify  Leveraging AI while maintaining authenticity and personal connection with your customers Practical steps to map your business workflows and identify automation opportunities Using AI for deep trend research and actionable business insights Key Takeaways: Start by mapping your business workflows to identify where AI and automation will help the most. Focus on repetitive, data-heavy tasks—freeing yourself and your team to focus on creativity and customer relationships. ChatGPT’s custom GPT feature is a powerful way to make business analysis fast and personalized. Trend research and strategic planning can be augmented with AI,  Links  https://www.gorgias.com/ https://www.make.com/en https://n8n.io/ai/ Guest Dean Johnston https://aiefficiencyhubb.com/ https://www.instagram.com/deanjohnstonai https://www.tiktok.com/@deanjohnstonai https://form.typeform.com/to/izHind8W 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/

Join us as Imogen shares her journey from interior designer to creative business owner, revealing why she chose to make wholesale and trade shows a new focus, the realities of prepping for her debut trade show at Top Drawer, a UK trade show and the practical lessons she learned along the way.  Whether you’re considering your first trade show or just love hearing honest accounts of building a business, this episode is packed with actionable tips, candid moments, and encouragement for anyone ready to take the next step in scaling their product business  Imogen shares  Why she chose Top Drawer as her first trade show  How she prepared and what she would have done differently The show itself, including Logistics & Costs.  What worked for her during the show and how she attracted visitors to her stand  After the show and how to maximise the experience  The Unexpected Challenges.  Guest Imogen Partridge - Imogen Partridge is a bespoke illustrator who took the leap into expanding her creative business after leaving her job last year. When illness forced her to pause, Imogen came to realize just how much her work depended on her personal involvement. Wanting to make her business more scalable and sustainable, she explored new avenues such as wholesale, a step she hesitated over for months. Inspired by seeing others succeed at trade shows, Imogen finally pushed herself to try by booking a stand at Top Drawer, believing that setting a deadline would give her the motivation to make it happen. Her journey is one of creativity, courage, and learning to balance personal artistry with new opportunities for growth. https://www.topdrawer.co.uk/  https://imogenpartridge.com/ https://www.instagram.com/imogen.partridge/ https://imogenpartridge.com/learnings-from-my-first-trade-show/ 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/  

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 RESOURCE 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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 RESOURCESFloragy 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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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 HOSTBuying & 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 METHODBook a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycallGET IN TOUCH HERE https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/instagram/Newsletter: https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

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

This episode is packed with practical advice for founders and brand owners looking to start or scale their product-based businesses—especially those considering India for production.  You’ll learn about the best product categories to source from India, key cultural and communication considerations, pitfalls to avoid, and how on-the-ground trips can transform your sourcing journey. Key Topics & Takeaways Why Source from India? Finding the Right Suppliers Navigating Challenges Cultural & Communication Insights About the Guest Sara Collins  Ethical production consultant  With over 10 years of experience in developing and manufacturing products ethically, Sara  is now on a mission to help independent brands feel confident in their own ethical manufacturing journeys. Over the years, Sara  has worked one-to-one with certified Fairtrade manufacturers around the world and has successfully brought numerous sustainable fashion, jewellery, and homeware products to the European market. Sara offers help, advice, and support to independent business owners seeking to partner with social enterprises and local initiatives. links  India sourcing trip waitlist   https://mailchi.mp/f45756a30eb6/india-wait-list https://www.instagram.com/saracollins.uk/ https://www.sarahelencollins.com/ About the Host  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/ About the Sponsor  Neon Digital Clicks  Are you ready to scale your e-commerce 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/

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

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  

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

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

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

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 Elle Williamson, the E-commerce assistant, is here to do. Elle joins Nicole on Start Scale Succeed to help you convert traffic into sales.   KEY TAKEAWAYS  Elle 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 Elle 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  

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  

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  

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  

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

Nicole and Deryane delve into the reality of competing in a discount-driven market, strategies for driving sales, and the importance of focusing on exceptional customer service. For those considering starting a brick-and-mortar or e-commerce business, Deryane’s advice is invaluable.   Deryane shares her entrepreneurial journey, from her early days in retail to establishing a successful multi-brand boutique. Episode Highlights: Challenges and Triumphs: Discover the hurdles Deryane faced in securing funding and premises, and how she overcame misogyny in the early days of her venture. Business Evolution: Insights into how The Dressing Room has evolved with changing customer demands and the impact of offering a mix of affordable to aspirational brands. Cybercrime Ordeal: Deryane opens up about a significant challenge their online business faced due to a cyber attack and how they are navigating this setback. Customer Connection: Learn about the innovative ways Deryane maintains strong connections with customers through personalized services and events. Navigating discount culture: The prevalence of discount culture and events like Black Friday have reshaped the retail calendar. Deryane considers these challenges in her strategic planning, focusing on enhancing the in-store experience to counteract the pressure of discounting. By organizing events and collaborations, Shop at the dressing room  https://www.the-dressingroom.com/ Follow  https://www.instagram.com/thedressingroomsocial/ Follow Deryane  https://www.instagram.com/deryanetadd/ 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/  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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 videosfootweardesigninsight VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comwww.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachhttps://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 METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comIG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachLinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsukEmail nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.comNewsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

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 LinkedInWild Source VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comwww.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachhttps://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ ABOUT THE GUEST Kate’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 METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comIG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachLinkedIn 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

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  

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

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  

This weeks episode of Start Scale Succeed Nicole is joined by Leanne and Amy, the dynamic co-founders of Naked Biotics. They delve into the journey of launching and scaling their probiotic brand amidst challenges like the COVID-19 lockdowns. Inspired by personal experiences and the power of gut health, Leanne and Amy's entrepreneurial journey is one of passion, resilience, and innovation. The Birth of Naked Biotics: Discover how a trip to South Africa and a unique formulation transformed Leanne and Amy’s perspective on gut health, leading them to create a brand that’s changing lives. Challenges and Triumphs: Hear about the hurdles they faced launching during the pandemic, from adapting to an online environment to rebranding their product for better market alignment. Insights on Gut Health: Leanne and Amy delve into the importance of maintaining a healthy gut and its surprising links to mental health, stress, and overall well-being. Branding and Networking: Get tips on the importance of strong branding, staying persistent, and the power of networking from two entrepreneurs who've navigated their way through the world of business successfully. Guests Founders Leanne & Amy Naked Biotics  Amy and Leanne, friends and co-founders of Naked Biotics.  share a passion and interest in natural health and well-being. Both fully qualified yoga instructors with their  own yoga studio in London.The Naked Biotics journey started in 2018 when a trip to South Africa led them to discover the fermented, live, liquid probiotic in its natural form.Their mission is to educate people on the importance of gut health and make high quality probiotics accessible to as many people as possible. The journey is just beginning, and we would love you to join us. https://nakedbiotics.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/nakedbiotics/ 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/  

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/pacheestorewww.pachee.co.ukVALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comwww.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachhttps://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/startscalesucceedwaitlistCONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comIG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachLinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsukEmail nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

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  

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.comhttps://www.insight2marketing.com/productswww.instagram.com/insight2marketingVALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comwww.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachhttps://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/startscalesucceedwaitlistCONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comIG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachLinkedIn 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

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.ukwww.facebook.com/worsleycreativewww.pinterest.co.uk/WorsleyCreative/www.instagram.com/worsley_creative/Google Search ConsoleVALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comwww.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachhttps://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/startscalesucceedwaitlistCONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.comIG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/TikTok www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoachLinkedIn 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

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  

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

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

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  

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

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

In this episode of the Start Scale Succeed podcast, Nicole  is joined by Becci McAvoy, founder of Be Heard Socials, to discuss the importance of authenticity in social media, particularly for brand founders. They delve into the challenges and fears of showing true selves online, tips to overcome these barriers, and the significance of personal boundaries in content sharing. Becky, a content strategy and social media marketing expert, shares her journey and insights on building genuine connections with audiences while managing the pressures of social media engagement. Key Topics Discussed: Understanding Authenticity: Becky explains how brands and founders can be authentic in their social media presence, and the relevance of authenticity to connect with audiences effectively. Getting Comfortable with Sharing: Tips for social media users who hold back from sharing personal stories and experiences, along with strategies to build confidence and a positive mindset. Defining Boundaries: How to establish personal boundaries on what to share online and being mindful of what aligns with the brand’s values. Handling Negativity Online: Becky discusses how to manage negative comments and trolling on social media, the importance of focusing on positive interactions, and using platform features to maintain a healthy online environment. Utilizing Social Media Features: An overview of the useful features on Instagram, such as practicing live sessions and limiting comments, to enhance user experience and manage audience interaction. Viewers and Audience Engagement: Insights into why understanding the audience and considering why certain content matters are crucial for deciding what to post. Guest Becci Mcevoy Social Media Marketing and Content Strategy for amazing women owned businesses. Becci's  work helps them to simplify their content, show up and be heard on social media so that they can grow their business on social media without feeling overwhelmed https://www.instagram.com/beheardsocials/ https://beheardsocials.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/ 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/

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  

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

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