For our last episode of the season, we have something extra special for you! In this episode, we present a recording of a recent online event hosted as part of Brightpearl's Peak Season series on finance and fundraising in e-commerce. Our host, Caroline Baldwin sat down with Emily Bendell, Founder and CEO at Bluebella, and Nick Torday, Co-founder and CEO at Bower Collective. Unmask the secrets behind successful e-commerce fundraising with Emily and Nick. This episode is an e...

Today, we are excited to welcome back James Ewens, a leader who has taken the e-commerce world by storm. James is now a Director at Open 24 Seven, overseeing an impressive portfolio of e-commerce brands, including Green Feathers, Alexander Francis, and SpyCameraCCTV. Want to uncover the secret behind three successful e-commerce brands? James is here to spill the beans. After leading Furniturebox to sales growth of 95% over the last three years, soaring to £17 million, James is back with O...

Our guest this week is Rakesh Aggarwal, the visionary owner of beauty giant Escentual.com. He joins us to share his insights into the world of technology and its intersection with the beauty industry. The high-end online beauty retailer, which stocks brands including Burberry, Clarins and Dior is a family-grown business, launched by Rakesh Aggarwal more than 20 years ago as an online arm of his father Raj‘s chain of pharmacies in and around Cardiff. From humble beginnings in his parents' gara...

This week's guest is Andrew Busby, renowned retail analyst and media contributor, founder of Retail Reflections, and author of "Harry Was Right All Along”. Andrew challenges the notion of true loyalty in retail and whether it even exists in a cost-of-living crisis. He expands on the changing nature of consumer behaviour, and how any misstep from a brand – from pricing to location, to marketing – can result in a mass exodus of formally “loyal” customers. We also talk about the concerning tre...

Imagine believing in the brand you work for with such conviction that you buy it outright 😱 That’s EXACTLY what Coco de Mer’s CEO Lucy Litwack did – and in this week’s episode of Re:tales she tells us why. ⚠️ Spoiler alert: it’s got a lot to do with Lucy’s pioneering belief in female pleasure as a path to empowerment. In this seriously juicy conversation, Lucy also shares: The surprising trends that helped make brands which champion female pleasure more mainstream How luxury bran...

In this episode, meet Emily Bendell, the inspiring brainchild and CEO of Bluebella, the fashion-forward brand that is redefining sensuality for the empowerment and comfort of the women who wear their products. From founding Bluebella to disrupt the priority of the male gaze in the industry to recent strides in challenging sexual discrimination in a private members club, Emily's mission aligns perfectly with our focus on growth, empowerment and innovation. Her journey with Bluebella illustrate...

Join us on a fascinating journey with Lucy Jeffrey, the founder of Bare Kind, as we peel back the layers of her journey from the banking sector to the e-commerce world. Lucy is a beacon of inspiration, demonstrating the power of entrepreneurial spirit and a steadfast commitment to conservation and sustainability. Lucy Jeffrey started her venture with a mission to give back to the environment and animal conservation. Initially selling reusable straws and recycled tote bags, Lucy's vision evol...

Are you hungry for business insights? This episode features a hearty conversation with Oliver Spark, the mastermind behind Sweet Analytics and former MD of The White Company. Oliver unpacks his unique approach to data-driven decision making, a strategy that catapulted The White Company from £6 million to a whopping £50 million. Join us as we dive into Oliver's philosophy and learn how to leverage data-driven decision making to fuel growth in the retail industry. Oliver Spark beli...

Can you imagine waking up one morning with an idea that merges your passion for storytelling and your background in marketing, then seeing that idea become a thriving business? That's exactly what happened to our guest, Tori Scott, author, media veteran, and the innovative founder and CEO of Scribbler, a game-changing subscription box company curated for aspiring novelists. Tori's engaging journey from scribing young adult fantasy novels to launching Scribbler is an entrepreneurial adventure ...

Ever imagined a world where the sparkle of glitter doesn't come at the cost of the environment? In the last episode of the series, we talk to Katherine Senior, the founder of EcoStardust, a brand that sells biodegradable eco glitter for the eco-conscious. We dive into the heart of green innovation and how a plant-based alternative to traditional glitter was born. Kath opens up about the trials and triumphs of running a business during the pandemic, and how she successfully leveraged technol...

Join us on an enlightening journey with Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, founder and CEO of LIVSN is a premium outdoor sustainable apparel brand. With an intriguing path towards minimalism, Andrew shares how scaling back can open up a world of possibilities and introduces us to his brand's ethos of owning less but achieving more with our possessions. His perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic reveals how people's change in lifestyle has led to an increased demand for versatile and durable clothing....

Are you curious about the strategies behind the astonishing growth of e-commerce brands? Want to get the inside scoop on how SkateHut became a leading hub for skateboards and roller skates amidst the pandemic-triggered economy? In this epsidoe, we chat to Richard Skidmore, the head honcho of marketing at SkateHut, who spills the beans on the firm's strategic journey and how they've remained resilient in the face of changing tides. Richard enlightens us on SkateHut's digital marketing ...

Imagine a world where plastic waste is eliminated and sustainability is not just an option, but a way of life. How can we contribute to this vision? Enter Nick Torday, co-founder and CEO of Bower Collective, who joins us to share their remarkable journey to create a more sustainable future. London-based and launched in 2020, Bower Collective is a home products retailer focused on natural, effective products with sustainable, reusable packaging. The brand acts as a one-stop shop for pl...

Ever wonder about the secret recipe that propels a brand’s swift transition from a clothing label to a global leader in men’s jewelry? Brace yourself for some remarkable insights from Samuel Darcy, the dynamic Managing Director of Serge Denimes. Samuel unveils the enchanting journey of a brand that has ridden the wave of the booming men’s jewelry market, and succesfully pivoted from apparel to accessories. He lays bare the challenges and rewards of this strategic shift, with a sprinkle of a...

Get ready for a rollercoaster ride into the world of e-commerce, as we sit down with the co-founder of Lovehoney, Richard Longhurst. In a gripping and enlightening conversation, Richard unravels the story of building the world's largest sex toy retailer, and the origin of a new golf accessory innovation, the Pocket Timer. Hear first-hand how Lovehoney rose to prominence - and a £1BN sale - through superior customer service, savvy SEO strategies, and big, often eye-catching, ideas. We then s...

Ever wondered how an e-commerce business can skyrocket to a seven-figure turnover in just a few years? Join us as we chat with the Founder and CEO of Progress Jiu Jitsu, James Tighe, who shares the secrets behind his company's meteoric rise since 2018. Learn how the popularity of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has positively impacted their growth, the challenges they've faced along the way, and how investing in technology and automation has been crucial to their continued success. Brexit threw ...

“A lot of businesses deliver a product to the market which is going to generate profits, not positively impact health. For us, we were all about impacting health, delivering a high quality product to as many people as possible and making it convenient for them to access. Because we made that purpose our North Star, people noticed the difference.” – Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu, CEO at The Turmeric Co. Imagine experiencing powerful relief from inflammation and pain, all from natural ingredients. Tha...

Ever wondered how to successfully transform a traditional retail brand into a digital powerhouse? Join us as we chat with Peter Gough, Chief Operating Officer at ROKA London, who shares the incredible journey of turning their outdoor lifestyle and accessories brand into a thriving digital and direct-to-consumer business. Discover how they experienced massive growth thanks to their digital marketing approach, and the impact of increased online sales on their margins and brand. In this...

Are you ready to uncover the secrets behind the impressive growth of e-commerce furniture company Industry West? With 80% year on year growth and annual sales figures in the eight digits, we sat down with Ian Leslie, their CMO, to discuss the importance of product curation, being first to market with trends, and the various marketing strategies employed by the company to achieve this success. Join us as we explore how Ian has utilized social media, white labeling channels, and aligning with ...

Sara Arthrell is the CMO at Brightpearl, and on this special bumper episode of the podcast, she joins us to share valuable insights from the 2022 Lightning 50 league table geared towards aiding the growth of E-Commerce stores, including strategies, technology and partnerships that will support and increase huge growth scale. Furthermore, as this week marks International Women's Day, Sara provides a glimpse into her own experiences and challenges as a female leader in a typically male-dominate...