Retales: E-Commerce Growth Stories

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 secre...

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 t...

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 fa...

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 mar...

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...

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...

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 a...

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 lev...

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 engagi...

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 tria...

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...

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 rema...

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, effecti...

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 acc...

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 - th...

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 h...

“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. I...

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 marke...

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. Joi...

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 prov...

In this special bonus episode of the Lightning 50, we speak to an entrepreneur going places. Samanah Duran is a British fashion designer and retail entrepreneur that launched a clothing label and founded a media company – all before turning 30. At 22, Duran launched fashion brand Critics Clothing, and recently made Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. In support of International Women's Day, Samanah&apo...

Today we are releasing a special bonus edition of the Lightning 50 in support of International Women’s Day, and we speak to none other than Dr Cameka Smith, founder of The BOSS Network. Smith bootstrapped and founded digital platform The BOSS Network in 2009 to provide online and in-person resources, networking and community for Black women looking to build their own brands and start businesses. S...

In this episode, Wild Cosmetics CEO Freddy Ward shares some fascinating insight into how the brand achieved a whopping 322% growth during 2020/21 to be crowned as the fastest growing Health & Beauty brand in Britain on Brightpearl’s Lightning 50 UK. He also revealed the tech stack that’s powering the brand’s growth and how the business is living up to its sustainability promise... 

Launched in 2013, Goose & Gander is a unisex clothing brand based in the South West of England, UK. The brand was the brainchild of childhood sweethearts, Olly and Maz. What they lacked in fashion industry experience, they made up for with vision, creativity and a bold determination to succeed. In today's episode, we speak to founder Olly White , who recounts the 'terrifying' ch...

Freedom Rave Wear (or FRW) is a fashion brand that specializes in bright, colorful freestival clothing. Founded in 2014, FRW creates unique styles made in San Diego, California, and is known for a commitment to sustainability and quality.  For this podcast, we spoke to Co-Founder Michael Hodgen.  In this episode Michael reveals the core values - and tech tips - that have driven the firm to new hei...