Start Scale Succeed – Details, episodes &amp; analysis

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

IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

The Custom Crew on Instagram

Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

Episode 58 - From Teaching in the Classroom to Learning Lessons when starting your own Product Business with Arlo Blue Founder Sinead Kearns

Episode 58

jeudi 18 août 2022 • Duration 29:34

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

VALUABLE RESOURCES

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

IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

www.instagram.com/flourishretail

Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

Episode 57 – What Numbers do You Need to Know in Your Retail Business With Sarah from Flourish Retail

Episode 57

mercredi 10 août 2022 • Duration 30:57

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

VALUABLE RESOURCES

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

IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

The 90 Day Manifestation Journal

Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

Episode 56 – What is Manifestation With Chloe Slade, Mindset & Manifestation Coach

Episode 56

jeudi 4 août 2022 • Duration 29:39

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

Money Manifestation Cards

Membership

Free 3 Part Money Series + Workbook

Free Daily Money Prompts

@itschloeslade

@vibe_and_flow

VALUABLE RESOURCES

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

IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://halfbakedlondon.com

Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

Episode 55 - Moving Through Fear When Creating Your Business with Half Baked London Founder Kim Fraser

Episode 55

jeudi 28 juillet 2022 • Duration 25:03

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

www.instagram.com/halfbakedlondon

VALUABLE RESOURCES

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

IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

Episode 54 – Sell your Brand on Amazon, Tips From Vicki Weinburg

Episode 54

mercredi 20 juillet 2022 • Duration 38:05

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

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

IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/

https://www.thebeautybuddy.com

Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/

Book a call with me https://thebuyerandretailcoachltd.as.me/discoverycall

Episode 53 - From Facebook Group to an App Worth Millions

Episode 53

jeudi 14 juillet 2022 • Duration 38:16

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

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thebeautybuddyapp

Tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebeautybuddy

https://proto.io/

VALUABLE RESOURCES

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

IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/