Start Scale Succeed

How much stock should you actually be holding? With Anna Youngson of Majury Merchandising Stock and cash flow can catch out any product business, whether you're turning over £100k or £1m. This week I'm joined by Anna Youngson, merchandising and retail consultant and founder of Majury Merchandising.Anna spent 20 years in-house in corporate retail, including eight years at Topshop and, most recently, head of department at a kidswear brand. She works across own label, wholesale, marketplace and branded stock. We get into the numbers that tell you how much stock to hold, how to spot a problem before it eats your cash, and how to clear stock without shouting "closing down sale".In this episode we cover: Why data visibility comes first. Know why something is or isn't selling, or you can't do anything about it. A simple sales forecast. It doesn't need to be fancy, but without one you have no benchmark. It also drives your buy budget and your range plan (your "shopping list").The ideal stock formula. Sales target × supplier lead time, plus a 2–3 week buffer. A 10-week lead time means planning for 12–13. Don't commit 100% of your season budget upfront. Hold some back and set reorder trigger dates in your diary. Buying branded stock. Work with your brands' lead times, drops and stock-holding policies, and share your forecasts with them. Sell-through explained. Units sold ÷ units bought. Aim for 60–70% as a minimum. 50–60% is a "plodder", and anything under 50% needs a question mark over it. Never look at it in isolation. Weeks cover. Current stock ÷ last week's unit sales tells you how long the stock will last at your current rate of sale. Sales mix vs stock mix. The quickest health check for any category, and why Shopify makes it hard to see. Bricks and mortar vs e-commerce. Store space and footfall versus page position and the customer journey. Clearing stock without blanket discounts. Staggered markdowns, bundling, gift with purchase, spend and save, and archive or warehouse sales. Your free delivery threshold. Average order value + average selling price. One brand saved £35k a year with this single change. 💡 🔥 DON'T FORGET to follow me on instagram from lots more tips https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ ❤️ Enjoyed this video? Subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell to never miss a new video — and let us know what how-tos you’d like to see next in the comments! Sign up to the newsletter and get support straight to your inbox https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/Cashflow| Product Business | EcommerceThis episode is sponsored by Neon Digital Clicks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Nicole and Hannah discuss the evolving trends in Christmas marketing, emphasizing the importance of understanding consumer behavior and emotional connections to the holiday season. They explore how retailers can leverage nostalgia, storytelling, and immersive experiences to engage customers effectively. Hannah introduces the 'Three P's' —Purpose, Personalization, and Provenance as essential elements for businesses to consider in their strategies. The conversation also highlights the significance of creating memorable retail experiences, whether in physical stores or online, to foster customer loyalty and drive sales during the festive season.TakeawaysChristmas trends are influenced by consumer emotions and nostalgia.Retailers need to adapt to the changing buying patterns of consumers.The 'Christmas creep' phenomenon shows early holiday shopping is on the rise.Storytelling is a powerful tool in marketing Christmas products.Purpose, personalization, and provenance are key to product appeal.Creating immersive experiences enhances customer engagement.Nostalgia plays a significant role in holiday marketing strategies.Retailers should focus on emotional connections with their audience.Physical stores should create sensory experiences to attract customers.Online retailers can enhance the shopping experience through creative packaging and storytelling.Key PointsKeywordsChristmas trends, holiday marketing, consumer behavior, festive shopping, emotional connection, product marketing, retail experience, nostalgia, storytelling, immersive experienceslinks download hannah Christmas playbook here https://thechristmasinsider.com/trends-playbook/ DON'T FORGET to follow me on instagram from lots more tips https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ Sign up to the newsletter and get support straight to your inbox https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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-gbHost 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/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 insightsKey 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/enhttps://n8n.io/ai/Guest Dean Johnstonhttps://aiefficiencyhubb.com/https://www.instagram.com/deanjohnstonaihttps://www.tiktok.com/@deanjohnstonaihttps://form.typeform.com/to/izHind8WHost 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/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another episode of the Start Scale Succeed podcast with your host, Nicole Higgins, the Buyer and Retail Coach. In this episode, Nicole is joined by Lauren Orlicky , co-founder of US Launchpad about the practicalities of launching your brand in the United States and how to do it the Easy WayEpisode Highlights:- The Story Behind US LaunchpadLauren shares how her own e-commerce challenges inspired her to create US Launchpad—a company dedicated to helping brands expand into the US market without the overwhelming red tape of officially setting up a US entity.- Navigating the US Market as an International SellerLearn about the “international seller” route, a cost-effective and stress-free way to test your brand in the States, requiring only a US EIN (tax number) and a US dollar account—no US bank visits or 54 forms!- Sales Tax SimplifiedLauren breaks down how sales tax works for international sellers in the US, including navigating threshold laws (known as “nexus”), using tools like TaxJar on Shopify, and the surprisingly simple admin required.- What Products Are Flying Off Shelves in the US?Discover which UK/EU brands and product categories are resonating with American consumers—- Why Brand Messaging MattersNicole and Lauren discuss the importance of adapting your brand voice and marketing—Americans love “extra cheese,” and what feels salesy in the UK can truly resonate in the US.- Compliance, Packaging, and InsuranceIf you’re a food or beauty brand, find out what it takes to meet US compliance, the difference between cosmetic and drug labeling, and how Lauren’s team helps with the complicated world of US product liability insurance.- The Realistic Path to Success in the USLauren shares honest advice about managing expectations—most brands see true traction in the US after consistent effort for 10 to 12 months. Plus, why starting small, testing, and scaling are the keys to sustainable growth.- Fulfillment and Logistics Made EasyUS Launchpad provides hands-on, end-to-end support with warehousing, shipping, and even connecting you with US retail buyers—no minimum order volumes needed for US and Europe. https://uslaunchpad.co.ukhttps://www.uslaunchpad.co.uk/usplaybookhttp://linkedin.com/in/lauren-orlicky-78118b292Host 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/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.