Start Scale Succeed (Nicole Higgins)
Explore every episode of Start Scale Succeed
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 2024 | Ep 128 - Resilience, Rebrand and Reinvention | 00:28:45 | |
Resilience, Rebrand and Reinvention. These are some of the topics I chat about with Ness, founder of the find boutique in this weeks podcast episode. The experience of rebranding, handling business setbacks, including a social media hack, which meant she lost all her followers and had to start from scratch. The strategy behind weekly drops, engaging customers through live sessions, and the shift to smaller, more profitable fashion events. Ness's learning curve in the industry, her focus on what works for marketing, and her thoughts on expanding to platforms like TikTok. Connect with Ness and the Find Boutique: https://www.facebook.com/thefindbou/ https://www.instagram.com/findbou/ https://www.tiktok.com/@thefindbou https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thefindbou/
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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 07 Aug 2024 | Ep 155 - Summer Sales Strategies for your Ecommerce Brand | 00:21:20 | |
In this conversation, I chat with Elle Williamson, a Shopify and Klaviyo expert, about how to keep sales coming in over the summer. We discuss the myth that summer is a downtime for sales and emphasize the importance of not stopping marketing efforts during this time. Elle advises planning ahead, updating the website, and utilizing email marketing to stay visible and engage customers. We also discuss the use of apps like JudgeMe, ReferralCandy, and Gorgias to streamline processes and improve customer service. Elle shares her expertise and offers valuable tips for Shopify e-commerce owners. - Plan ahead and schedule content, even if you're taking some time off. Prepare emails and website updates in advance. - Maintain email frequency to stay visible. Continue sending 1 email per week. - Make emails short, sweet, and shoppable. Showcase products and make it easy to click through. - Check your automated flows are seasonal and working properly. - Use apps like Judge.me for reviews and Referral Candy for customer referrals. - Consider outsourcing customer service to a VA to handle inquiries while you're away. Most importantly, don't go silent over summer! With some planning, you can keep revenue coming in and set yourself up for a successful Q4. Guest Elle Williamson https://www.theecommerceassistant.com/ https://www.instagram.com/theecommerceassistant/ - Judge.me: https://apps.shopify.com/judgeme - Referral Candy: https://apps.shopify.com/referralcandy - Gorgias: https://apps.shopify.com/gorgias 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? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 27 Oct 2022 | Episode 68 - Evolving a Brand for More Growth Potential | 00:39:24 | |
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
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
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| 30 Dec 2021 | Ep 25 - Building a business, investment & wholesale with Dragons Den Hannah Saunders founder of children swear skincare brand toddle | 00:27:04 | |
Hannah Saunders has gone from the RAF to starting her own children’s skin care brand ‘Toddle’, and recently receiving funding from Steven Bartlett & Deborah Meadon . After finding that there wasn’t anything on the market suitable for under 3 with chapped lips, she decided to start her own business to solve that problem. Hannah joins Nicole on this week’s Start Scale Succeed to tell not just her business journey, but her personal journey too.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Anyone can do this if you keep going’ ‘Screaming at a wall doesn't help because it doesn’t talk back’ ‘If you really want growth in your business, then pay good people to do what matters’ ‘If you’re going to fail, fail fast’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.instagram.com/toddlebornwild
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/ 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
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| 29 Jun 2023 | Ep 103 - From Fashion to Footwear with Brand Founder Nicki Hoyne | 00:38:30 | |
After selling her previous fashion brand, Nicki Hoyne launched her first collection of crossbody camera bags in October 2020 and she followed in 2021 with her footwear collection. Nicki has a wealth of experience in both the footwear and accessories industry, being nominated for multiple awards. That’s why she’s the perfect guest to join Nicole on this episode of Start Scale Succeed to share with you her knowledge through her life story. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘If you lived your life backwards it would all make perfect sense’ ‘It’s all about timing selling a business’ ‘I would love to work with other people, I’m working alone so much of the time’ ‘Surround yourself with people who are better than you at the things you’re bad at’ ‘What I’d say to anyone is to aim beyond where you think you should’
EPISODE RESOURCES Nicki Hoyne (@nickihoynecollection) • Instagram photos and videos Nicki Hoyne (@nickihoyne) • Instagram photos and videos
ABOUT THE GUEST Nicki Hoyne launched her first collection of crossbody camera bags in October 2020. She followed in 2021 with her footwear collection. Nicki is nominated as “One To Watch” at the Drapers Sustainability Awards 2023. She has been nominated as an Image Businesswoman Of The Year in 2023 & 2022. She won Irish Design Institute’s Rising Star 2021 and Runner Up in the Design & Craft Council Of Ireland (DCCI)’s Irish Business Design Challenge 2021. Nicki Hoyne has been stocked at Brown Thomas CREATE in Dublin and in Los Angeles, New York & London. Nicki previously founded award winning online accessories store, My Shining Armour in 2014. It shipped to over 40 countries and appeared in Vogue, Cosmopolitan & Grazia. She is a TedxTalk speaker and had her own successful podcast, The Hero Podcast sharing inspiring stories. Nicki is passionate about creating meaningful fashion accessories that are fun, unique and comfortable. She wants to inspire you to celebrate and cherish fashion, not just consume it and throw it away. She created her collection to bring you fun, quality designs with a conscience. We celebrate individuality, vibrancy and a passion for well made, slow fashion products. She hopes to one day have a fully sustainable fashion brand. 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 | |||
| 21 Nov 2024 | Ep 168. From Kickstarter Launch to UK Retail Giants with Ruby Raut founder of period pant brand WUKA | 00:42:25 | |
Innovating Period Care with Ruby Raut of Wuka In this inspiring episode, Nicole Higgins sits down with Ruby Raut, the founder of Wuka, a sustainable period product brand on a mission to eradicate period shame and combat period poverty. Join us as Ruby shares her journey from a small village in Nepal to leading a game-changing brand in the UK. With insights into funding, product innovation, and the importance of building a community, this episode is packed with valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and those interested in sustainable solutions. Key Highlights: Product Market Fit How Ruby initially tested the idea and discovered that there was a market need for the product, and how they continue to test and innovate, making period underwear accessible to all. Explore the diverse applications of Wuka's period underwear, from comfort for new moms and women experiencing perimenopause to suitability for children with sensory issues. Community Building & Kickstart Ruby stresses the importance of community, sharing the organic reach and PR strategies that led to their successful Kickstarter campaign, including a pivotal feature on BBC's front page. Getting into retail How product innovation meant they were able to grow their retail presence, currently in stores like Boots, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Ocado and their plans for further expansion. The Growth of the brand How resilience, networking and hiring the right teams has helped move the brand forward Ruby's Advice for Entrepreneurs. Tips and strategies for new product business founders, including starting lean, proving product value, and building a competent team. https://www.instagram.com/wukawear/ Guest Bio Ruby Raut Ruby, Environmental Scientist and listed in the 2019 Top Women in Femtech, grew up in Nepal, which inspires her work in making menstruation positive, taboo-free and environmentally-friendly. “When studying for my Environmental Science degree, I discovered that more than 200,000 tonnes of tampons and pads were sent to UK landfills every year, contributing to the mounting tide of plastic pollution. This was my ‘lightbulb moment’. I knew something had to change about the way we handled menstruation.” - Ruby Raut, Founder & CEO Ruby grew up in Nepal, where shame about periods was widespread. Nachune is the Nepalese word for period which basically translates as 'untouchable'. When she started her period, she experienced a form of Chapaudi, now illegal in Nepal. During menstruation, she was sent to her aunt's house and wasn't allowed to go out in the sun, look at men, or touch plants - as it was believed that she would kill them - just because she was having a period. Like other girls, she was given old sari rags to use for the bleeding, which happened to be reusable and eco-friendly, but not hygienic. They weren't leak-proof nor comfortable, and didn't work for her when she played sports! When she arrived in the UK, she was astonished by the wide range of menstrual products available on the shelves, but quickly realised that most of them were neither comfortable nor leak-proof, and they certainly were not eco-friendly. So it became Ruby mission to replace plastic-riddled disposable pads & tampons with the world’s most comfortable and sustainable period underwear. 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. | |||
| 08 Sep 2022 | Episode 61 - When You’re at a Crossroads in Your Business, Keep Going or Close with Nicky from Wilder Ones | 00:31:31 | |
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
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
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
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| 05 Oct 2023 | Ep 114 - How You Can Smash Your Q4 with Lucy Haslam | 00:43:14 | |
Want to smash your Q4 in your product business without feeling drained come January! Lucy Haslam is the founder of children's lifestyle brand Acorn & Pip, a bricks and mortar store & cafe established in West Yorkshire with a thriving online presence. Established over 5 years ago with the customer, mindfulness and authenticity at its core. In this episode, Lucy shares her Q4 retail checklist so that you can make the most of the last quarter of the year and goes through her tips focusing on sales, logistics, operations and marketing. Lucy now also works with SME founders through her coaching business and shares her inside tips and secrets to help them build their own successful business. Some of the key takeaways are: Engaging beyond the sales How to maximise your marketing efforts Practical strategies for success Evaluating and planning for the business both before and after q4. Lucy Haslam https://www.instagram.com/acornandpip/ https://www.instagram.com/acornandpip/ https://start.coachingwithlucy.co.uk/checkout-q4-retail-checklist
Nicole Higgins Links 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/ | |||
| 01 Sep 2021 | Episode 8 - Top 5 Mistakes Online Businesses Make and How To Avoid Them - with Jason Nelson | 00:45:24 | |
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Jason Nelson, digital retail expert and holistic e-commerce consultant. This is a must listen for anyone with an online retail store. Find out how to grow your online sales, optimise SEO, and create a better customer experience on your website. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Getting caught up with the speed of your website is a tunnel I wouldn’t go down’ ‘It’s seven times more expensive to sell to a new customer than it is to sell to an existing one’ ‘If there’s a big brand who already do what you do, then you can target their audience through Facebook advertising’ VALUABLE RESOURCES 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) CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.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 | |||
| 14 Jun 2023 | Ep 101 - Getting PR For Your Gifting Products at Christmas with PR Dispatch Founder Rosie Davies | 00:27:22 | |
If you’re an existing product business, chances are you'll make an average 50% of your yearly sales in that last quarter, with a substantial part coming in the lead-up to Christmas. How can you capitalise on that and drive more people to your site? Increase your exposure so that people buy more products? Today Nicole is joined by Rosie Davies, founder of PR Dispatch, and they are going to be talking about getting press coverage for your business, particularly focusing on Christmas and getting into gift guides. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS EPISODE RESOURCES ABOUT THE GUEST ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 20 Jun 2024 | Ep149 - Using stop motion to engage your customers with Alice Loveday | 00:27:12 | |
How do you inject more personality into your brand, help keep customers engaged and tell a story? One of those ways is by using stop motion in your creative socials, videos and reels. And today I'm chatting with Alice Loveday, founder of Loveday Social and the queen of Stop Motion.
Highlights include
- **Introduction to Stop Motion: - Definition and magical elements of stop motion. - Why it’s so engaging and valuable for marketing and sales.
- **Business Applications: - Distinguishing your brand and telling stories through stop motion. - Highlighting unique selling points (USPs) and product features. - The power of stop motion in social media and paid ads.
- **Common Misconceptions: - Debunking the myth that stop motion is time-consuming. - Tips for creating quick, effective stop motions using minimal equipment
- **Practical Advice:** - Recommended apps: Life Lapse and Stop Motion Studio. - Top five must-have stop motion content types for product businesses. - Step-by-step process for coming up with stop motion content. Guest Alice Loveday https://www.lovedaysocial.com/ https://www.instagram.com/loveday.social Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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/
Watch the full episode on You tube https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ | |||
| 04 Nov 2021 | Episode 17 - How to Understand your Customers with Market Research Expert Katie Tucker | 00:34:01 | |
42% of businesses fail due to lack of market need, which is a scary statistic. That number could be reduced significantly if the right market and customer research is done at the beginning when you are starting out or pivoting. This week on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Katie Tucker, founder of Product Jungle, who can help businesses do just that.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘People want to be helpful so they tend to just say yes’ ‘It’s about how your product and services fit into people's lives’ ‘You know how you feel when you’re seen and heard by a brand’
VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.instagram.com/productjungle/ https://www.productjungle.co.uk/newsletter
ABOUT THE GUEST Katie Tucker is an inspirational product leader with over twelve years’ experience in leading teams and delivering stand-out digital products and services. She is also a freelance writer and soon-to-be author.
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/ 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
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| 17 Nov 2022 | Episode 71 – Creating an Ethical and Sustainable Fashion Business with Expert Sarah Collins | 00:48:12 | |
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
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
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| 11 Jul 2024 | Ep 151 - Creating a Product Business Around Your Lifestyle with Ode & Ray Founder Renee Milner | 00:48:07 | |
Renee created a bootstrapped business with just £2500 which has grown into a renowned swimwear brand If you had said that you wanted to create a business that gave you the freedom to travel and create a nomadic lifestyle, a product business wouldn’t have been the top of my list but Renee has just done that.
In this weeks episode we chat about Rushing and Rapid Expansion Renee talks about the pitfalls of expanding too quickly and the mistakes that came from rushing important decisions. Guest Renée Milner, Founder & CEO, ODE+ RAE Renée is a visionary entrepreneur and the solo female founder of ODE + RAE, a female owned and led, luxury Swimwear and Ready-To-Wear brand, which she bootstrapped from the ground up in 2017. Through the ODE + RAE brand, Renée is committed to empowering women to feel confident and liberated, as well as inspire others to create a lifestyle that harmonises work and personal freedom. Renée is passionate about freedom, personal growth, connection, happiness, and resilience; these values are the bedrock of her business philosophy. She advocates for maximising one's potential and living an inspired and authentic life, on your terms.
https://www.instagram.com/renee_rayy https://www.instagram.com/ODEANDRAE Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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/ Watch the full episode on You tube https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 29 Sep 2021 | Episode 12 - Babs Jamieson Legal Chats the Legal Basics You Need to Know | 00:27:03 | |
What are the legal basics you should know for your business? In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Babs Jamieson founder of Jamieson Law, and host of Legal Leverage podcast. Hear all about their mission to make legal easy to understand, straight forward, and easy to apply. Find out what are the legal basics you need to have in place and to have considered when starting out.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Someone could come along and trademark your name if you haven’t’ ‘If you’re a product business listening and you don’t have an e-mail list, you should!’
ABOUT THE GUEST Babs is qualified in England, Scotland, Ireland, New York and California, and advises on a wide range of corporate and commercial law matters. She saw the issues with the legal sector and was on a one-woman mission to shake things up! Babs has worked in big law firms, and with lots of small to medium-sized businesses, and knows there is a disconnect between what clients are looking for, and how big firms treat their clients. Babs places huge value on building relationships - understanding a client’s business, supporting a growth journey, and being that port of call along the way. She believes that all legal advice should be easy to understand, straightforward and easy to apply. VALUABLE RESOURCES https://jamiesonlaw.legal/free-resources/ www.instagram.com/babsjamiesonlawyer 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) CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.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
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| 20 Jul 2022 | Episode 54 – Sell your Brand on Amazon, Tips From Vicki Weinburg | 00:38:05 | |
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
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 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 | |||
| 05 Jul 2024 | E150 Mastering Brand partnerships & collaborations With Natalia Chappel | 00:40:55 | |
We all saw the numerous collaborations Barbie did before the movie launch from make up to Airbnb But many of you don’t have the Barbie budget or the clout of a million dollar movie behind you so how can you make a partnership work for you, why should you do a collab and how do you pitch to the brands you are interested in working with. They are all of thing topics I'll be chatting with Natalia Chappel about in this episode Some of the key topics
Key Takeaways Strategic Partnerships - Forming complementary partnerships can help expand a brand's reach and engage different audiences. - Clear objectives, understanding of the partner's branding, and aligning with the target customer are crucial. - Real-world examples of successful partnerships,
Executing Partnerships - The significance of clear agreements, expectations, marketing budget, and timelines. - The importance of GDPR compliance and transparent data-sharing agreements. - Creating excitement around product launches through well-timed marketing efforts and engaging events.
Handling Products and Stock - Recommendations on focusing on core products to reduce margin erosion. - Importance of clear agreements and margins when stocking products exclusively on a website.
Tips for Approaching Brands - Use social media platforms like LinkedIn to research and build relationships for partnerships. - Make pitches concise and highlight unique selling propositions to stand out. - Consider the partner’s tone of voice, customer base, and brand values.
Challenges and Timeframes - Understand that securing partnerships can take significant time, ranging from a few months to over a year. - Establish clear timelines, objectives, and deliverables from the start.
Guest Natalie Chappel
Digital Marketing Consultant and founder of Natalia Chappel Consultancy for lifestyle and fashion brands working with brands to scaling up revenue growth & accelerating traffic to site improving channel mix that focuses on acquiring new customers improving retention rate & ensuring a healthy bottom line www.nataliachappell.co.uk Instagram: www.instagram.com/nataliachappellco/ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/nataliachappell
Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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/
Watch the full episode on You tube https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts
Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/
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| 04 May 2022 | Episode 43 - Sourcing in Africa with Jacqueline Shaw | 00:42:18 | |
The fashion industry is worth 31 billion in Africa and there is a rise in the number of UK and European retailers importing from Africa. Jacqueline Shaw is an expert in African sourcing and founder of Africa Fashion Guide and new platform Fashion Africa Trade Expo. She joins Nicole this week on Start Scale Succeed to tell you everything you need to know about sourcing from Africa.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
‘It’s about sourcing in Africa, making in Africa, trading with Africa, and building in Africa’ ‘You get wonderful African print fabrics that you don’t find anywhere else’ ‘Unless you’re going to do the quantity, you will be challenged’ ‘People think oh poor Africa, it’s going to be cheap’ ‘Going to the continent is going to be a major thing’
EPISODE RESOURCES
https://www.africafashionguide.com/ https://fashionafricatradeexpo.com/
VALUABLE RESOURCES Masterclass training https://jacquelineshaw.lpages.co/4-step-framework-webinar2/
Free guide to get started https://jacquelineshaw.lpages.co/7-top-african-fashion-business-ideas-guide/
Author: Fashion Africa published by Jacaranda Books available on Amazon.com Director: www.africafashionguide.com
B2B sourcing agency: www.fashionafricatradeexpo.com
Coaching and training: www.fashionafricabusinessacademy.com
Business trips: www.fashionafricasourcingtrips.com
Events
http://www.fashionafricaconference.com/
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/ 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
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| 23 Feb 2024 | Ep 134 - The Secrets To Understanding Customer Needs | 00:25:19 | |
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed host Nicole Higgins is joined by guest Katie Tucker, author of "Do penguins eat peaches and founder of Product Jungle. Together, they delve into the essential topic of understanding customers and how businesses can leverage this understanding to thrive. Katie provides invaluable insights into market research, customer discovery, and the importance of aligning with customer values. Listeners will gain practical tips for conducting effective surveys, testing product viability, and maintaining a collaborative approach with customers. Whether you're an established business or an entrepreneur just starting out, this episode offers actionable strategies to enhance your relationship with your customers and fuel business growth. Buy Katies’ Book Do penguins eat peaches book https://www.productjungle.co.uk/about https://www.instagram.com/productjungle/
Guest Bio Katie Tucker is an inspirational product leader with over twelve years’ experience in leading teams and delivering stand-out digital products and services. She is also a writer, author of the Amazon bestselling book Do Penguins Eat Peaches? and a speaker. In 2020, she set-up Product Jungle. A boutique consultancy with bite - using tools and hacks from the world of big tech to help small businesses and social enterprises embrace customer problems and build products and services that sell. After starting her career in the fast-paced world of commodity markets, working her way up from business reporter to managing editor and overseeing the daily product and digital delivery of ten B2B publications, she worked for a successful FTSE 100 company for over ten years, inspiring teams, setting product strategies and delivering transformational digital products with a clear focus on user needs. In 2018, she made the bold move to quit the corporate 9-5 to travel the world for ten months with her family, a life-changing experience which led to renewed sense of purpose. Product Jungle was born out of a passion of demystifying big tech practices.
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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 11 May 2022 | Episode 44 - How to use Email Marketing to Grow your Product Business with Loren Nally | 00:41:03 | |
Are you neglecting your email marketing? Not really sure what you should say or how to engage with your customers. Then today's podcast is for you. Nicole is joined by Loren Nally, who has 25 years experience in ecommerce and digital marketing. The topics they cover include email marketing, why you need it, how to use it, how often to use it, what makes a good email that converts among other things.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘I don’t think I could even convey how important email is’ ‘I find welcome emails having the highest conversion rate of any email’ ‘If they’re not clicking on Black Friday type sales, they’re not going to buy from you’ ‘You must preview what it looks like on a mobile version’
EPISODE RESOURCES Website - https://www.retailmarketingacademy.co.uk/ Free masterclass on the 18th May 2022 https://www.retailmarketingacademy.co.uk/accelerator-masterclass/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/retail_marketing_academy/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theretailmarketingacademy/
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
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 | |||
| 27 Jan 2022 | Episode 29 - What Happens After you Launch with Laura Briggs, Founder of Clothing Brand The Shortlist | 00:28:13 | |
Today I am joined by Laura Briggs, founder of ladies petite clothing brand The Shortlist. This is my second time chatting with Laura as we spoke before the brand was launched and you can catch that in episode 7 of the Start Scale Succeed. Now we are about 8 months on and today Laura and I are going to be discussing the highs and the lows, the real behind the scenes of when a brand launches and the following months. Not just the glossy highlights that people share on Instagram.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Making mistakes is the best thing I’ve ever done’ ‘I see the brand as separate to myself’ ‘If they’re on your email list they want to be part of your world’
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
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 | |||
| 28 Dec 2023 | Ep 126 - Building a Memorable Brand Through Experiential Marketing: Tips from Katie Peake | 00:40:21 | |
Hands up if you remember the Barbie Launch extravaganza? I'd never seen anything like it and it made me look more at experiential marketing, what it was and how it works. This week in the Start Scale Succeed podcast I dive more into that with my chat with Katie Peake founder of backlash creative THE agency for experiential marketing specialising in fashion & beauty pop ups and events. Katie shares the story and ideas behind her favourite pop up the agency did this year for Pandora in front of tower bridge and other clients such as the beautie Pie warehouse experience. Other areas we talk about are: What are the advantages of using experiential marketing? You can get in touch with Katie and the backlash team on the links below: Guest Katie Peake See some of the backlash projects here: Host The Buyer and retail coach https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ Neon Digital Clicks Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://scaleandglow.com/ | |||
| 31 May 2023 | Ep 99 - Selling a Small Business With Moira Fuller | 00:27:41 | |
The first ever guest on Start Scale Succeed, Moira Fuller returns to episode 99 of the podcast to tell Nicole all about how she sold her subscription box business. Moira is a business coach who helps small business owners boost profitability and create breathing space through online and one-to-one coaching. Listen in to find out about the process of selling a small business, how to know when it’s the right time to sell, preparing your business for sale, negotiating price, and so much more helpful advice. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS EPISODE RESOURCES ABOUT THE GUEST ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 18 Aug 2021 | Episode 6 - Lucy Werner – The How of PR for your Product Business | 00:51:11 | |
In this episode, Nicole is in discussion with Lucy Werner, PR and branding expert. Get business advice for pre-launch PR, how to promote when you’ve just started out, and effective post launch campaigns. If you’re asking “how do I get my product mentioned in the media” then this is the podcast for you. Also hear about what goes on at Lucy’s company, The Wern and her new book ‘Brand Yourself’, due out on the 7th of September. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Think about Beyonce taking eight months to rehearse for Coachella. You’re not taking too long, social media makes it look like things happen overnight’ ‘Look at the media spaces your audiences are already in’ ‘Attachments aren’t friends. They aren’t always opened. Embed your image into the email’ ‘How much time should I spend on PR? Well, how much time have you got!’ VALUABLE RESOURCES Follow Hype Yourself on Instagram 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) CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ | |||
| 20 Jan 2022 | Episode 28 - Setting Goals With Business Strategist Dominique Mullally | 00:35:57 | |
Today on Start Scale Succeed I am chatting with business strategist & consultant Dominique Mullally and we are going to be chatting about setting goals, how you can make sure you achieve them and what to do when it goes a bit wrong.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Create stability and predictability’ ‘Always be focused on the revenue generating tasks’ ‘Don’t invest where you are, invest where you want to be’
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com 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 | |||
| 13 Jun 2024 | Ep 148 - How To Increase Conversion on Your Ecommerce Website with Aime Cox founder Studio Cotton | 00:30:17 | |
When was the last time you audited your website and looked at it from the point of view of a user? This weeks episode we chat all about increasing your website conversion and enhancing the experience of the user. Aime Cox from Studio Cotton is an expert when it comes to crafting and designing websites and shares their insights and tips on why your conversion may not be where it should be and what you can do about it. Some of the areas we talk about E-commerce Conversion Rates:** - Understand what makes a good conversion rate and why smaller businesses might achieve higher rates (around 3-3.5%). User Experience (UX) and Product Descriptions:** - Listen to Amy’s golden advice on website optimization and the importance of regular SEO updates focusing on product descriptions and product collections.
- Learn about the importance of regularly auditing your website to identify issues hampering conversion rates. Amy also provides insightful advice on utilizing customer and press reviews to enhance product descriptions. Guest Aime Cox founder Studio Cotton offer thoughtfully crafted website design and expertise for small businesses and podcasts https://www.instagram.com/studio.cotton/
Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 04 May 2023 | Ep 95 - How going Viral on Tik Tok helped grow Partner In Wine with founder Lucy Hitchcock | 00:51:26 | |
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
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 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 HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 15 Sep 2021 | Episode 10 - Claire Winter – Why Storytelling is so Important to use in your PR and Content Audio | 00:24:59 | |
In this episode of Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is joined by Claire Winter, a trainer, coach and host of the Cracking Content podcast. Claire helps coaches, creatives, and product-based businesses to amplify their message through storytelling, content and PR, so they can make a bigger impact.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘What is your USP? What differentiates you? That’s your story’ ‘Start with why. Why do you do what you do’
ABOUT THE GUEST Claire Winter is a trainer, coach and host of the Cracking Content podcast. She is passionate about helping coaches and creative entrepreneurs to amplify their expertise through storytelling, content and PR so that they can get more sales and make a bigger impact. Claire uses a blended coaching and mentoring approach to ignite her client's creativity so they can share their authentic voice and story. She is a trained NCTJ journalist and started her career at ITN in radio and television. She also runs a Facebook community called Cracking Content where she shares writing, content and PR TIPs
VALUABLE RESOURCES https://www.thefemaleceo.com/blog?tag=claire+winter https://clairewinter.info/freebies/30-content-ideas-in-30-minutes/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/crackingcontent/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClaireWinterUK/ Twitter: @clairewinteruk Insta: @clairewinteruk LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-winter-writer/
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)
CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.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
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| 10 May 2023 | Ep 96 - How Better Sleep Means Success With Sleep coach Anne Marie Boyhan | 00:35:44 | |
Founder of the Sleep Care Company, Anne Marie Boyhan joins Nicole on this episode of Start Scale Succeed to discuss the importance of sleep and how better sleep leads to more success as an entrepreneur. Anne Marie shares her own personal story with sleep and tells you how you can improve your quality of rest to help you achieve and succeed in business. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘To set ourselves up for sleep success should be our number one goal in our wellbeing’ ‘If you have less than 4 hours sleep then it’s like you’re going to work drunk’ ‘If we look at the top athletes in the world, they prioritise sleep to increase their performance’ ‘Within an hour of waking get sunlight into your eyes’ EPISODE RESOURCES The Sleep Care Co. (@thesleepcarecompany) • Instagram photos and videos I lived on coffee to keep my energy going and in a bid to try and wind down I'd often have wine after work and always felt tired and wired. All of the time my sleep suffered- I was lucky if I slept 4 hours a night. My insomnia was relentless. One day I fell over, I couldn’t focus and went to my doctor who ran some blood tests on me. When my bloods came back ‘all clear’ over the phone he told me that I was sleep deprived and was burning out. That was the kick I needed. What I realised was what I wanted was to have a career where I was able to prioritise my family.” ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 02 Dec 2021 | Episode 21 - Making Instagram for Business Enjoyable with Vix Meldrew | 00:35:40 | |
As a business owner, how do you make the task of posting on Instagram enjoyable for you? Founder of Grow & Glow and Instagram expert Vix Meldrew joins host Nicole this week on Start scale Succeed to discuss that very topic. Get tips on visibility, reels, finding your rhythm, and being intentional with your content. Also find out about the work Vix does with Grow & Glow where she provides digital learning and training. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘You have to make Instagram a positive habit’ ‘You’ve been doing it for two minutes, chill out!’ ‘Sometimes we forget that the only people who care about our Instagram is us’ VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach ABOUT THE GUEST Vix Meldrew: “After 4 years, juggling blogging whilst teaching, finding myself single, then dating, then loved up and going through the grief of losing both my parents in a short time - I decided to leave my school and much-loved role as primary school teacher to: ‘Give this full time content creator thing a go’ After a year of working with brands, and then being asked by fellow bloggers and influencers for guidance on how THEY could work with brands… Grow & Glow was founded. And we’ve done so much with Grow & Glow! In the almost 3 years since, we’ve helped over 1200 online business owners and personal brands grow their online presence, we’ve partnered with Pinterest on educational events and we’ve established ourselves as a go-to resource for learning how to use content to get yourself out there. Personally, in this time, I’ve moved from London to the quiet Kent countryside, gotten married and been blessed with stinky-puppy kisses from our first angel Olive (who sadly passed in 2020) and Ruby, our red (and silly) cockapoos. I didn’t like how Ruby was ripping through her toys and accessories, which were made from plastic and felt like a waste throwing away, so… In early 2021, I wanted to try a new challenge - e-commerce, and founded Ruby & Olive, originally a marketplace showcasing the UK’s best eco-friendly and home-made pet businesses. It felt exciting to find these incredible brands who were doing so much to fight against pet-product waste and working towards bringing sustainability to this industry. But juggling two businesses, scaling beyond what I was ready for and tackling personal health issues meant I had to put it to one side. Luckily for me, my dear Beth, who was once one of my mentees and then a part of the G&G team came on board as co-founder/owner and we are excitedly working behind the scenes on creating our own range of eco-friendly (and gorgeous) dog collars, leads and accessories, with the aim to relaunch Ruby & Olive in 2022! But something else has always stuck with me… And that’s my love of teaching. Whilst I’ve infused elements of ‘being a teacher’ into Grow & Glow - by hosting workshops, webinars, creating courses and designing educational content, I realised I my fulfilment really comes from creating light-bulb moments and helping my students become more confident in their abilities - and I wanted more of this.
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/ 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 | |||
| 22 Mar 2024 | Ep - 137 Building a Sustainable Bricks & Mortar Business with Cat Anderson founder of Treen | 00:36:32 | |
Recent closures of high street chains further highlights the challenges of bricks and mortar stores, but how are the new kids on the block building their businesses and creating a community. This episode I chat with Cat Anderson founder of sustainable clothing store Treen a vegan fashion retailer, offering a selection of style must-haves from a carefully selected group of brands that make a positive difference. Providing a killer wardrobe without Killing the planet. This episode we chat about her start up journey, what she is doing to build the business and building relationships and becoming more than a retail brand and how she gets the community and her team involved in the brand. The sustainable initiatives that she has planned for the future and why they mean so much to her and the brand. https://www.instagram.com/shoptreen_/ 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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ | |||
| 08 Dec 2022 | Ep 74 – Starting Your Own Business in Your 40s with Jewellery Founder Emma Brankin of Bauble Magpie | 00:41:42 | |
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
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
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| 15 Dec 2022 | Ep 75 – A Lesson in Resilience & Determination - From Bankruptcy to Successful Coach with Charlotte Pridmore | 00:57:49 | |
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
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 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
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| 17 Aug 2023 | Ep110 - How Pip & Henry founder secured over £400K in Grant funding for their business. | 00:18:05 | |
Financing your dream brand can sometimes feel like a mammoth task This weeks episode of start scale succeed I chat with Jeroo Doodhmal founder of a sustainable childrenswear footwear brand on how she secured over 400k of grant funding to develop her brand Pip and Henry. Jeroo shares her insights into where to find grants and how to apply, These are some of her top tips listen to episode 110 to find out more.
Pip & Henry Founder Jeroo Doodhmal https://www.instagram.com/pip_and_henry/
Nicole Higgins The buyer and retail coach 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/
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| 07 Jun 2023 | Ep 100 - How Understanding Human Design Can Help You in Your Business With Charlotte Pridmore | 00:36:37 | |
How do you actually succeed? How do we create a process in ourselves to allow us to grow and connect with our desires? Nicole is joined on this landmark 100th episode by success coach Charlotte Pridmore who helps entrepreneurial women through positive human design, the combination of human design and positive intelligence. Together they will be discussing how understanding human design can help you in your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS EPISODE RESOURCES ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 19 Sep 2024 | Ep 160 - Optimizing Your q4 email Campaigns for Maximum Impact with Hannah Spicer | 00:28:06 | |
If you are a product business up to 70% of your yearly turnover can come during Q4, I chat with previous Guest Hannah Spicer on how you can ensure you are getting the most out of your emails to drive your sales. Areas we chat about Approaching Black Friday and deciding on your sales & promotional strategy for the quarter Reviewing what worked the previous year, testing and warming up your email list Key Metrics to track and how they might be slightly different this time of year. Reviewing your segmentation Frequency and timing of emails Post Black Friday & Christmas strategies Emerging trends in Email Marketing
Retaining new customers gained during the Christmas season and transforming them into loyal repeat buyers
Guest Bio Hannah Spicer is a Klayviyo email marketing expert having worked with Premium and Luxury ecommerce brands on email marketing from 2005. With 20 years experience consulting & supporting businesses in the fashion beauty and lifestyle sector to maximise their own email marketing
Listen to Hannah previous episode https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mastering-email-marketing-for-your-business-with/id1577771045?i=1000647463616
https://www.instagram.com/hannahspicer_consulting/ https://www.hspicerconsulting.com/
Host Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories
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. | |||
| 29 Aug 2024 | Ep 158 - How to crowdfund for your business with Danielle Wallington | 00:31:50 | |
Today's episode of start scale succeed delves into the intriguing world of crowdfunding with our special guest, Danielle Wallington, the visionary founder of Flock here, Join us as Danielle reveals her journey of raising over £20,000 in just over 30 days through crowdfunding. Discover how she turned her idea, stemming from co-working meetups and the need for recommended workspaces for women, into a successfully funded project. In this episode, we unpack the essentials of launching a crowdfunding campaign, including setting precise funding targets, choosing the right crowdfunding model, and crafting a strategic marketing plan. Danielle provides insights into Her top tips for crowdfunding The importance of mindset and positivity Setting funding targets Planning the campaign. Post campaign Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned business owner looking to explore crowdfunding, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you achieve your fundraising goals.
Guest Danielle Wallington is the founder of Flck here a coworking and community app, she is a business mentor & tech founder https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-wallington-22a13234/ https://www.instagram.com/flock_here /https://www.instagram.com/danielle_wallington_/ Host Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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.
Head to www.runwaytoresults.com to get the journey started and prepare your business for take-off! https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ | |||
| 31 Aug 2022 | Episode 60 - How to Refocus on Instagram And Get Your Motivation Back With Sarah Richards | 00:33:59 | |
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
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
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 | |||
| 18 Jul 2024 | Ep 152 - Unlock the Potential of LinkedIn with Laurie MacPherson | 00:38:45 | |
I get it, as a product business owner Linked In may be the last plate you want to spin so it’s potentially not really on your to do list, but this weeks episode of Start scale succeed I chat with Laurie Macpherson on how you can unlock it’s potential and reach your ideal clients and market weather that's a retailer, a journalist or your DTC customer. Here are some of the topics we cover Power of Human Stories: Understand the importance of sharing personal stories and making human connections. -Optimizing LinkedIn Profile Get tips on creating an engaging LinkedIn profile to attract the right connections. Creating Authentic Content Find out the best practices for posting on LinkedIn and how to mix personal and business updates effectively. Avoiding Common Mistakes Discover the pitfalls to avoid in your LinkedIn strategy and how to personalize your approach. Building Meaningful Relationships Learn strategies to build relationships with journalists and other key players without cold DMs.
Guest Laurie Macpherson https://go.lauriemacpherson.com/SignupforLinkedInguidanceandprompts https://www.lauriemacpherson.com/ https://www.instagram.com/_laurie_macpherson/ Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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/ Watch the full episode on You tube https://www.youtube.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach/podcasts Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 01 Jun 2022 | Episode 47– From Start Up to Selfridges With Childrenswear Brand Etta Loves | 00:34:21 | |
Today Nicole is joined by Jen Fuller, founder of award winning childrenswear brand Etta Loves. The brand started off in 2017 with a range of muslins that stimulate the sensory development of babies visual and cognitive development. Etta Loves is now an award winning brand with stock in Selfridges among other retailers.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘The great thing about our products is that they’re not use it once and throw it away’ ‘Make things really clear for your buyers’ ‘You went back and your negotiated and managed to get the win’ ‘It’s a lonely journey so you need to find cheerleaders’
EPISODE RESOURCES
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
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 | |||
| 21 Dec 2023 | Ep 125 - Starting An Ethical, Sustainable Brand | 00:27:55 | |
It's never too late to start your business. In this weeks episode of Start Scale Succeed, I chat with founder Karen Saul who started her ethical and sustainable brand brand Good Wash Day mid lockdown in her 50's. Good wash day is a organic cotton jersey towel ethically sourced to eliminate the frizz that standard towels can cause. Kind to all hair types. Karen shares about the twists and turns of her start up journey, the costs and research that went into the brand at the beginning: How her branding and investing in the visuals right from the beginning has paid off. Guest Host https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ | |||
| 25 May 2022 | Episode 46 – Setting Up a Pop Up Shop With Sooks Director David Blakely | 00:31:35 | |
Pop up shops are one of the key ways to attract a new audience and increase the awareness and exposure to your brand. Today Nicole is joined by David Blakely, business & store development director of Sooks, which provides access to flexible and affordable digitally connected spaces in the UK and around the world.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Pop ups are the best way to get your brand out there’ ‘They give you a really easy way to test out your brand’ ‘Understanding the area is key’
EPISODE RESOURCES
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.tiktok.com/@thebuyerandretailcoach
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 | |||
| 03 May 2024 | Ep 143 - Building a personal brand with Martha Brook founder Martha Keith | 00:33:01 | |
What’s a personal brand and how do you build one when you are also building your product business? This weeks episode Martha Keith founder of Martha Brook Stationery joins the start scale succeed podcast and we chat about how you can make your brand stand out with personal branding, sharing your story and bringing your community on the journey. Highlights include How & why you should show up as the founder to differentiate your brand The power of personal branding and debunking the current trend for faceless accounts The Do’s and Don’ts of personal branding How to create engaging content Developing the story of your brand Guest Martha Keith founder of Martha Brook Stationery an award winning multi 7 figure stationery brand. Martha is an entrepreneur, speaker, writer and mentor
You can find out more at https://www.instagram.com/marthabrookldn/ https://www.instagram.com/businesssecretsclub
She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 28 Jul 2021 | Episode 2 - Insight From Entrepreneurs | 00:11:35 | |
In this episode, Nicole offers some of the most valuable insights she’s gained from her own journey in business, as well as from those in the top tier of the business world. It’s a practical, insightful guide through some of the finest business wisdom out there, including what to do when you hit a slow period, the importance of preparation, and why you should take action as soon as possible! KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Don’t forget its always easier to reduce something than it is to increase after you’ve launched’ ‘Don’t wait for perfection. It will nearly never happen’ ‘Understand your own strengths and where you need support then ask for that support when you need it!’ ‘At some point you will make a mistake. Learn from it and move on’ VALUABLE RESOURCES If you're interested in the email list resource mentioned in this episode, send a message to Nicole at nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com 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) CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ | |||
| 12 Dec 2024 | Ep 170 Building your Brand visibility strategies with Anna Jones | 00:33:53 | |
"Building Your Brand: Visibility Strategies with Anna Jones
What's your why? sometimes this can be a difficult question to answer but one I think is key to understand before you start showing up as the face of your brand. My guest this week Anna Jones - Visibility expert helped make this more accessible by asking yourself what is the impact that you want your product to have on your customer. What do you want it to do for them, this goes much deeper than the features and the benefits of the products. In this week's episode of Start Scale Succeed I chat with Anna about how you can be more visible in your brand and some of the areas to understand before you do that. Some of the topics we chat about are
Anna brings a wealth of experience from her time managing flagship stores for notable brands like M&S and Topshop to forming her marketing agency in Chicago. Having experienced a confidence crisis herself, Anna now dedicates her efforts to helping female entrepreneurs gain visibility and confidence in their businesses. https://www.yourajency.com/anna-jones-visibility-expert https://subscribepage.io/subscribe-to-your-ajency-newsletter https://www.instagram.com/yourajency/ 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://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
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| 29 Sep 2022 | Episode 64 – Becoming a Great Leader with Anna Woods | 00:30:57 | |
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
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
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
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| 28 Oct 2024 | Ep 165 Boost your retail business with Live Shopping | 00:34:54 | |
Live shopping is set to hit £5 billion in the UK by 2025 with fashion and beauty being the key categories. But what converts and why should it be part of your marketing strategy. In todays episode of Podcast Start Scale Succeed I'm joined by Macdara Duncan International Director of Live Shopping Platform Sprii. https://sprii.io/ Key Highlights to help you understand what works in Live Shopping are below Authenticity in Content MacDara emphasizes the importance of maintaining authenticity in live streams, presenting an in-store experience that feels real and unpolished to viewers. Campaign-Led Approach: Discover the advantages of using themes or campaigns over discounts to attract and retain viewers during live streams. Engaging Through Gamification: Learn how to incorporate interactive elements like quizzes, raffles, and polls to keep your audience entertained and engaged. Structure of Live Streams: Get tips on structuring your live sessions effectively, typically lasting 45 minutes to an hour and featuring numerous interactive components. Continuous Viewer Engagement: Understand the necessity of repeating themes and products to cater to viewers joining at different times. Production Quality Flexibility: Explore the range of production qualities, from casual setups to professional environments, suitable for live streams. Alternative Hosts: Learn why it’s not always necessary for founders to host live streams themselves and how knowledgeable staff can be excellent hosts. Content Reusability: Discover strategies to repurpose live stream content for various promotional activities post-event. High Conversion Rates: Hear about the impressive conversion rates in live shopping, thanks to detailed and engaging presentations. Engagement Over Audience Size: Understand why a smaller, engaged audience can be more valuable than a larger, unengaged one. Sprii Platform Learn about Sprii, a streamlined live shopping tool, and its role in enhancing live shopping experiences. Host Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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/ | |||
| 29 Jun 2022 | Episode 51 - Biodegradable Hosiery Brand Billi London | 00:34:48 | |
As consumers we’re all trying to be more conscious and buy and shop in a more sustainable way. An increased number of brands are looking at products in a more innovative way, one of those brands is Billi London the world's first biodegradable hosiery brand. Today Nicole is joined by Billi London co-founder Sophie to find out more about this eco-friendly brand.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘There was no way I was going to create a brand with a negative impact’ ‘There was no way we were going to sacrifice quality or sustainability’ ‘Biodegradability is a harder thing to explain than recycling’ ‘Know your values and what you’re not prepared to compromise on’
EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.instagram.com/billi_ldn/
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 | |||
| 09 Nov 2023 | Ep 119 - How Your Fitness Can Affect The Performance Of Your Business with Harvey Fairburn | 00:32:48 | |
How can you boost your personal performance in business and life? Elevate yourself, and you will make better decisions, have more energy and more to give. Harvey Fairburn is the founder of Fairburn Fitness and a high-performance coach who specializes in helping business owners elevate their personal standards and improve their performance in their businesses. His passion for this work stems from his own personal journey, having experienced the detrimental effects of neglecting self-care and focusing solely on his business. Harvey shares the methods you can use to create a rich, fulfilling business and life. Some of the key takeaways are:
Harvey Fairburn Nicole Higgins The Buyer and retail coach Neon Digital Clicks Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://scaleandglow.com/ | |||
| 19 Jul 2023 | Ep106 - From Sales Plateau to Success with The Style Attic and NEon Digital Click Founders Leigh Unwin & Anna Frapwell | 00:37:05 | |
| 25 Jan 2024 | Ep 130 - Building Successful Business Partnerships | 00:26:40 | |
In this episode, we sit down with Nikki Coe, a branding expert and business coach specializing in working with co-founders. Nikki shares her insights on why 65% of high-potential businesses fail due to co-founder fallout and offers valuable advice on nurturing successful partnerships. From identifying tensions within the business to the importance of open communication, Nikki provides practical tips and real-life examples to help co-founders navigate the complexities of their relationships. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicki-coe https://www.nickicoe.com/7questions
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/
Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 11 Oct 2024 | Ep 163 - Simplifying your Marketing Strategy with Alice Benham | 00:26:28 | |
I'm all for advice that is easy to understand and implement and was delighted to chat with Alice Benham author of the recently released The Digital Marketing Handbook for this weeks podcast Some of the areas we chat about Why Marketing Strategies Often Feel Overwhelming (00:03:16):
Three Steps to Building a Marketing Strategy (00:05:28):
Setting Financial and Personal Goals (00:07:40):
Standing Out and Connecting with Consumers (00:12:13):
Identifying and Understanding Your Target Audience (00:17:35):
Reviewing and Adjusting Your Marketing Strategy (00:20:13):
Buy the digital Marketing Handbook Find out more about Alice Benham https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/alice_benham/ https://www.alicebenham.co.uk/about Host Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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. https://glowwithus.neondigitalclicks.co.uk/runway-to-results-page681429 | |||
| 23 Jun 2022 | Episode 50 - Grow your beauty business with Faye Speedie, founder of Beauty Bulb | 00:32:25 | |
How do you grow a beauty brand? In today's podcast I am chatting with beauty expert Faye Speedie, founder of new platform The Brand Book and founder of Beauty Bulb. The Brand Book is a trade show - without the show, where beauty brands can link with retailers and buyers and showcase their products digitally and make amazing connections. With several years in the industry Faye and I chat about: the issues both brands and beauty buyers are having right now. What brands can do to help them grow their business . What trends to focus on. And how to build relationships with buyers and much more. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
‘It was the biggest success story the Dragons didn’t invest in’ ‘When the logistics guy was on holiday, we’d be there packing boxes’ ‘There was no one size fits all’ ‘The trade shows are amazing but so hard. Buyers often find it hard to choose’ ‘Supercharging their sales is what we set out to do for them’
EPISODE RESOURCES
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 | |||
| 17 May 2023 | Ep 97 - Using Profit First in Your Business With Jason Withers | 00:36:58 | |
Today Nicole is joined on Start Scale Succeed by Jason Withers, a Certified Profit First Professional Coach and the only officially recognised Profit First Guide for the UK. They dive into the topic of using the Profit First cash management system in your business to maximise profitability. Drawing from his 25+ years of commercial experience as a business coach, consultant, and CFO, Jason shares valuable insights and strategies for implementing Profit First. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS EPISODE RESOURCES ABOUT THE GUEST ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 09 May 2024 | Ep 144 - From Superfoods to Super Skin with The Glowcery Founder Roshanne Dorsett | 00:26:29 | |
You are what you eat, well in this case you are what you put on your skin, inspired by superfoods and plant based ingredients Roshanne transitioned from a legal career into the beauty industry and founded The Glowcery. Listen to hear how Before Roshanne even launched she had been sent a cease and desist from Chanel How the brand launched and why it was successful from the beginning How the Glowcery are marketing and growing their brands and standing out in every increasing competitive market What is working for them with influencer marketing And why pushing yourself outside your comfort zone is key for your growth as an entrepreneur.
Guest Roshanne Dorset founder of the The Glowcery From the court room to cosmetics Roshanne's journey into holistic wellness began five years ago when she embraced a vegan lifestyle. Initially motivated by a desire to enhance her diet. Roshanne experienced profound improvements in her overall health; her skin became clearer and her Roshanne was inspired to found "The Glowcery," a company dedicated to creating skincare products that align with the principles of a plant-based lifestyle, nourishing the skin as wholesomely as the foods she consumed. https://www.theglowceryshop.com/ https://www.instagram.com/theglowceryshop/
Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 01 Nov 2023 | Ep 117 - What You Need To Know Before Working With An Ad Agency | 00:30:31 | |
When should you consider working with a digital marketing agency? How can you ensure smooth growth and maximize returns on ad spending? How do you know what agency is the right fit for you? For this week’s episode I am joined by Anna Frapwell, the founder of Neon Digital Clicks and an industry expert with 20 years of digital marketing experience. Anna shares her invaluable insights on when to consider investing in digital marketing, how to decide if an agency is the right fit for your goals, and potential red flags to look out for. Some of the key takeaways are:
Anna Frapwell Nicole Higgins Neon Digital Clicks Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 19 Jan 2024 | Ep 129 - Setting Goals for Success | 00:21:56 | |
Goals aren’t just for January. In this workshop style episode host Nicole Higgins takes listeners through a comprehensive guide on setting strategic business goals for future success. Drawing from her extensive experience in corporate strategy and entrepreneurship, Nicole outlines the importance of setting goals and the actionable steps necessary to achieve them. Split into 3 parts Reflections, Review and Plan Reflection - Nicole encourages listeners to reflect on their experiences in 2023, both personally and professionally. - Listeners are prompted to think about what worked, what didn't work, and how they felt throughout the year. - A focus on professional growth, personal well-being, and business performance is central to this reflection. Review A deeper dive into the lessons learnt in your business, your strengths and weaknesses, turnover, sales & marketing results. Identifying opportunities for growth. Planning and Goal Setting Planning S.M.A.R.T Goals - Listeners are prompted to consider three key areas of focus for their business and align their goals with the broader mission and vision of their company. - The episode concludes with a focus on establishing sales targets and key business objectives for the next 90 days, ensuring a clear plan for success. 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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 02 Mar 2023 | Ep 86 - Costume stylist to Cashmere Designer Laura Chambers Founder of Laura Chambers Cashmere Tells Her Story | 00:31:05 | |
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
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 | |||
| 19 Jan 2023 | Ep 80 - Turning Browsers into Buyers on your Website with Elle Williamson | 00:40:06 | |
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
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.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
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| 16 Nov 2023 | Ep 120 - Growing Your Brand As A Partnership with Donna May Clitheroe and Sarah Spence of Donna May London | 00:36:21 | |
Building a business on your own can be tiring and overwhelming, as you have to wear many hats and juggle all the tasks. Experienced Make Up Artist Donna May Clitheroe founded Donna May London in 2017, creating embroidered make up bags. Rapid growth led Donna to partner with Sarah Spence, her website and brand designer. Together they have taken the business from strength to strength, expanding their customer base, introducing several new products and expanding more into wholesale Some of the key takeaways are:
Donna May London Nicole Higgins The Buyer and retail coach Neon Digital Clicks Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://scaleandglow.com/ | |||
| 30 Mar 2023 | Ep 90 - Louisa Tidy Founder of Floragy | 00:21:34 | |
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
BEST MOMENTS EPISODE RESOURCES ABOUT THE GUEST ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 21 Sep 2022 | Episode 63 – How to Make More Sales in Your Product Business | 00:28:01 | |
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.
BEST MOMENTS | |||
| 30 Mar 2022 | Episode 38 - Understanding Trends and How to Use them in Your Business with Better Trends Company Founders Louise and Natalie | 00:29:07 | |
When I worked in retail we were very fortunate to have access to numerous trend websites that were all targeted at big business from a price and a content point of view. But if you are a small business, where can you get that information and how can you interpret it to ensure it's relevant to your business and customer. The answer is the better trend company. Today I am joined by Natalie and Louise, founders of The Better trend company specifically established to support independents and small design businesses to access trend reports and design strategies.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘It’s just authentically connecting with people and enjoying life’ ‘When you’re bombarded with so much, you feel a lot of self doubt’ ‘When you’re a small business you’re juggling so many plates’
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.instagram.com/thebettertrendsco www.thebettertrendscompany.com
ABOUT THE GUEST “The Better Trends Company is a trend and design agency with a difference. We empower Indies and small businesses with our affordable and accessible trend reports, consultancy and design strategy. Our mission is to demystify trend forecasting and share design knowledge to support those locked out of trend and design resources, enabling them to make confident and informed business decisions. Our focus is on responsible and ethical trends and design direction. We promote eco values, community and feminist retail to create better futures for people and planet.”
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 | |||
| 09 Aug 2023 | Ep 109 - Launching lessons with The Barbie Event Team | 00:37:16 | |
Barbie has grossed $1billion dollars in the last 17 days Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ll would’ve seen the marketing efforts from pink wrapped houses in the hollywood hills to clothing collaborations with Primark But as a small business or a start up you won’t have the same kind of budgets to promote your brand or your launch. But what can you do. Today I’m joined by Steven Moffat of organic publicity who played a part in the UK launch of Barbie and he is going to share his top tips on what marketing you can do when you are launching and how to really connect and create experiences for your target market. KEY TAKEAWAYS Establish your elevator pitch that connects with your audience. Engage people's imaginations: Find creative ways to capture the attention of your target audience, even on a limited budget.
Overall, the key is to engage people's imaginations, stay persistent, target the right audience, tell a compelling story, provide value, think creatively, and have a global mindset in your launch strategy. CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 21 Jun 2023 | Ep 102 - Creating a Stationery Brand with Hello Time Founder Sam Smith | 00:36:44 | |
Nicole is joined by Sam Smith, the founder of HELLO TIME and the creator of the HELLO TIME Planner that has transformed how people organise their lives. With a keen eye for innovation and a dedication to helping individuals achieve their full potential, Sam has become a leading figure in the world of productivity and time management. She’s on Start Scale Succeed to share her story and give you advice on starting a stationery brand. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘After a time of helping others successfully build their brands, I decided to put myself on the other side of the fence’ EPISODE RESOURCES HELLO TIME Planner & Time Gifting Stationery
ABOUT THE GUEST With a focus on branding for print, digital, and environmental platforms, Sam has partnered with renowned brands like Virgin, Chinawhite, Mars, and McDonald's. Her approach combines creativity and brand-savvy strategies to deliver tangible commercial results. After supporting others in building successful brands, Sam founded HELLO TIME following a period of burnout. Today, HELLO TIME continues to thrive under her leadership, marking four years of progress.
ABOUT THE HOST 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 | |||
| 21 Aug 2024 | Ep 157 - How to Build a Successful Candle Brand with Samantha Johnson Pintail Candles and Avalon Home | 00:40:20 | |
With a low barrier to entry candle brands are an easy product to get started with as a business, but should you? and what do you need to make it a success, I chat with Samantha Johnson who tells it how it is in the candle industry what works and what doesn't and what you need to know. We chat about Brand Identity: - The importance of knowing what your brand is and is not. Pricing and Regulations: - Accurate product pricing to reflect true labour. - Heavy regulation in the candle industry, emphasizing the need for knowledgeable operational staff. Market Insights Trends in fragrance demand in Europe focusing on natural and herbal scents. - The consumer’s growing awareness and preference for branded experiences. Business Challenges - The high cost and extended timeframes in product development. - Challenges of gaining traction in a saturated market. - Importance of a strong wholesale network and investment in branding and marketing. Operational Tips: - Necessity for a solid operational person to navigate complex regulations. - Tactical approaches towards creating a commercial product range. Guest Samantha Johnson Retail CMO turned manufacturing Managing Director and co founder Bringing making home to the North West of England via artisan production Samantha manufactures interiors products, homewares and candles on a bespoke, private label and branded basis. /https://pintailcandles.co.uk/ Host Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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. Head to www.runwaytoresults.com to get the journey started and prepare your business for take-off! https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ | |||
| 19 Oct 2023 | Ep116 - Shauna Corr Unlocking Your Potential: How EFT Tapping Can Help Business Owners Thrive | 00:33:46 | |
In this week’s episode we are diving into an alternative tool you can use to help you thrive in business, and manage stress. I’m joined by Shauna Corr, an EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy) expert. EFT is a relatively new therapy, but it is quickly gaining popularity due to its simplicity, effectiveness, EFT combines Chinese acupuncture with modern talking therapy. Shauna helps people address their issues by tapping on certain parts of the body while discussing their concerns. Despite some initial skepticism surrounding this method, it has been scientifically proven to be effective. We discuss how business owners can use this technique to boost performance, set boundaries, remove money blocks, gain focus, and more in their business.
Some of the key takeaways are:
Shauna Corr Links https://www.instagram.com/tappingintosuccess/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-o-callaghan-corr-0b9916203/ Nicole Higgins Links Nicole Higgins The Buyer and retail coach Nicole Higgins Links https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/free-discovery-call/ https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/blog/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
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| 28 Jul 2021 | Episode 1 - Creating A Subscription Model Empire - with Moira Fuller | 00:39:18 | |
In this episode, Nicole talks to Moira Fuller, founder of Craftiosity, a specialist in helping people to establish and grow their subscription box business, and the author of ‘The £100k Subscription Box Masterclass’. Moira talks about how she grew her business from the kitchen table to a six-figure concern, why you should always follow your instincts when it comes to business, and the secrets behind how to build a successful subscription model for your business. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘I enjoy the creativity of creating something’ ‘There was a very strong gnawing inside, that this was the right thing to do’ ‘You have to work out if it makes sense for your customer’ ‘It’s about creating little moments for people’ VALUABLE RESOURCES www.instagram.com/subscription_box_academy https://www.moirafuller.co.uk/8-elements-to-100k-subscription-box-masterclass-join 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) CONTACT METHOD Website http://www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com IG https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/nicolehigginsuk Email nicole@thebuyerandretailcoach.com Newsletter https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ | |||
| 03 Apr 2025 | EP 183 How Passion and Perseverance Shaped 20 Years of Retail Success for Deryane Tadd founder of The Dressing Room | 00:33:32 | |
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:
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://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
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| 04 Aug 2022 | Episode 56 – What is Manifestation With Chloe Slade, Mindset & Manifestation Coach | 00:29:39 | |
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
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 The 90 Day Manifestation Journal Free 3 Part Money Series + Workbook
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 | |||
| 06 Apr 2022 | Episode 39 - Looking For Low Quantities For Your New Fashion Business Chatting With Co-Founder Ziqi Deng About Their New Platform Resourcefashion | 00:28:43 | |
As a fashion start up one of the challenges that is often faced is finding the right supplier for your business particularly one that can manufacture smaller minimum quantities. Today, Nicole is joined by one of the founders of Resource Fashion, Ziqi who has established Resource Fashion to help combat that problem. The 4 main stumbling blocks when you are starting your brand are:
Tatiana and Ziqi have established Resource Fashion, an online platform that helps solve those issues and enables you to work with manufacturers in the Far East with quantities as low as 10 units!! How? Well listen to the podcast to find out, but it's a service that is run like a subscription membership that you can cancel out of at any time. Also if you use the service and quote Nicole100 you will get a $100 dollars of your subscription fee. The team personally chat to you before you come on board to understand your needs so no more trawling through Ali baba, Google, etc to find your suppliers for fashion.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Everything that can go wrong, will often go wrong’ ‘All the brands were telling me it’s incredible that we have this system where they can do it all in one place’
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.instagram.com/resourcefashion To receive $100 off your fee with Resource Fashion use the code Nicole100
ABOUT THE GUESTS Tatiana and Ziqi have established Resource Fashion, an online platform that is run like a subscription membership that you can cancel out of at any time. The team personally chat to you before you come on board to understand your needs so no more trawling through Ali baba, Google, etc to find your suppliers for fashion. A production supply chain specifically designed for emerging fashion brands. Small batch: Many clothing manufacturers require large minimum orders. We offer true small batch manufacturing on demand. High quality: Quality fashion doesn’t just happen on its own. Our team has over 20 years of experience in production. Short lead time: An easy online supply chain management platform gives you total control in real time, on time.
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/ 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 | |||
| 09 Mar 2023 | Ep 87 - How The Experts Value Your Business For Sale with Mark Fitzgerald Cooke MD Intelligent Business Partners | 00:35:41 | |
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
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 HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 01 Aug 2024 | Ep 154 - Building a Gifting Business with Don't Buy Her Flowers | 00:43:50 | |
Steph Douglas is the founder of personalised gifting company Don't Buy Her Flowers. Established in 2014 initially to cater to new mums the brand grew beyond it's initial idea and now creates thoughtful gifting for all occasions. Steph chats about her journey as a business owner from first hires to investment with everything else in between, We chat about The growth of the brand The Importance of Multiple Revenue Streams Marketing Challenges in a Noisy Space Building a Strong and Supportive Team Balancing the Needs of the Team and the Business Balancing Work and Family Staying Focused and Motivated Stephs advice for those starting a business Starting a Business Steph Douglas https://www.dontbuyherflowers.com/ https://www.instagram.com/steph_dontbuyherflowers/ https://www.instagram.com/dontbuyherflowers/ Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 💡Listen to the start scale succeed podcast here for more tips to help you start and scale your product business https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/start-scale-succeed/id1577771045 🔥 DON'T FORGET to follow me on instagram from lots more tips https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ ❤️ Enjoyed this video? Subscribe to our you tube 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! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGmiMajoKec Sign up to the newsletter and get support straight to your inbox https://thebuyerandretailcoach.com/newsletter-sign-up/ Sponsor Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://scaleandglow.com/ https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ | |||
| 08 Feb 2024 | Ep 132 - What are Content Pillars and How to Use Them with Char Dixon | 00:27:29 | |
Content pillars - a term we often hear talked about in relation to social media and creating content but what are they? how many should you have? and how do you establish what they are, In this episode Nicole chats with Char Dixon ex head of marketing for Dune and New Look (to name a few ) and founder of loud mouth content. Chars’ aim is to reduce the overwhelm of content creation for small business owners
The episode guides both new and existing businesses on reassessing scattered content and aligning it with both brand values and audience interests
Char Dixon https://www.loudmouthcontent.com/ 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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ | |||
| 03 Nov 2022 | Episode 69 - From Kitchen Table to Being Stocked in Liberty Beauty Advent Calendars With Kate Roath From Wild Source | 00:35:24 | |
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
BEST MOMENTS EPISODE RESOURCES VALUABLE RESOURCES ABOUT THE GUEST ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 23 Mar 2023 | Ep 89 - Growing Your Business with Chat GPT With Candice Mason Founder Mother Cuppa Tea | 00:26:39 | |
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
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 https://www.instagram.com/mother_cuppatea/ AI links https://www.canva.com/magic-write/ 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 HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 23 Feb 2023 | Ep 85 - Using Pinterest to Grow Your Product Business With Rachel Waring | 00:45:06 | |
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
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 | |||
| 24 Aug 2022 | Episode 59 – Creating a CBD And Wellness Brand With Empwr Botanics Natalie Meredith | 00:37:41 | |
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
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 | |||
| 05 Dec 2024 | Ep 169 Revitalising the UK knitwear industry with Brand Founder and Designer Genevieve Sweeney | 00:23:27 | |
Todays episode of start scale succeed Nicole is Joined by UK knitwear designer and brand founder Genevieve Sweeney Some of the areas we chat about are Challenges of UK Manufacturing in an industry that is disappearing & her dreams and plans of revitalising the UK knitwear industry. What Genevieve learnt from stepping away from the Fashion Norms when running a fashion business.The power of staying true to your business brand values. Building community through social media and how it has scaled with in-person at her studio in Hertfordshire. Being sustainable at the core whilst growing. Key highlights including
Launching a Brand: Sustainability Practices: UK Knitwear Industry: Business Milestones: Community Engagement: Challenges and Aspirations: Current challenges such as seasonality and future plans for creating a micro-factory and offering apprenticeships. Advice for Entrepreneurs:
https://www.genevievesweeney.com/ https://www.instagram.com/genevievesweeney/
Genevieve Sweeney is committed to preserving and revitalising this corner of the industry. Working with hand-selected mills and factories around the UK, GS is driving British manufacturing forward by embracing innovation whilst also celebrating tradition; keeping time-honoured craftsmanship relevant and capturing the beautiful, refined touch of the artisan. Her signature yarn blends evoke a unique and contemporary mood, while limited batches promise unrivalled originality, lasting quality and attention to detail.
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://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/
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| 20 Sep 2023 | Ep 112 - From Call Center to 7 Figure Entrepreneur Rebecca McCann | 00:47:16 | |
Todays Guest Rebecca McCann Founder of Pro blo group and sleep london, her mantra is say yes and make it happen and grabs every opportunity. Rebecca was inspired by her love of a blow-dry and a broken hair brush. With a vision to create a product range that was luxury yet affordable, Currently, Problogroup is in its ninth year and has achieved global recognition, selling in over 850 different countries. Rebecca decided to venture into a new business and launched Sleep London. Drawing from her experiences with Problo , she implemented the lessons learned and saw tremendous growth and success in a shorter period of time. Just like its predecessor, Sleep London has also expanded globally, reaching customers from all around the world. Rebecca's achievements with her brands have inspired her to support and teach others how to replicate her success. She has started tapping into her knowledge and expertise to guide and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, sharing her proven strategies and methods. With a passion for helping others, Rebecca is determined to empower individuals to achieve their goals and create thriving businesses of their own. In this episode we chat about Starting Imperfectly and Evolving: Rebecca encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to just start and not wait for a perfect product or plan. She emphasises the value of getting feedback, making necessary changes along the way, and not spending years in pursuit of perfection. Identifying Market Opportunities: Despite challenges in the UK market, Rebecca saw potential in the Middle East, where the supply chain was less affected. She successfully launched her brand, Sleep, targeting prestigious retailers like Bloomingdale's and Sephora in the Middle East, and later expanded to the UK. Embracing Manifestation with Action: Rebecca initially had doubts about manifestation but learned its power through a conversation with a spiritual friend. She realised that manifestation involves visualising goals and taking concrete action towards achieving them. Hard work is essential for manifestation to come to fruition. Leveraging Opportunities and Branding: Rebecca's business, initially aimed at selling on eBay, changed its trajectory when well-known figures like Cassie Lomas and Colleen Rooney expressed interest. This allowed her to focus on product branding and packaging, highlighting the importance of getting the product in front of the ideal customer consistently. Rebecca Mccann Nicole Higgins | |||
| 25 Nov 2021 | Episode 20 - From Starting To Scaling and Entering the US market with Darren Williams CEO of mens grooming brand scrubd | 00:37:43 | |
The men's skincare industry is expected to grow to $16.3 billion in 2026 and in this episode, Nicole chats with Darren Williams, executive chairman of men's Skincare brand SCRUBD. Find out about how the brand started and went from an exclusive deal with Harvey Nichols, to now being stocked in Nordstrum in the states.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘I was genuinely surprised by the ethics of the brand’ ‘He put 4 products in a bag and said that it was too heavy, nobody will carry that around’ ‘Your numbers tell a story’
VALUABLE RESOURCES http://www.williamsharding.com www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE BRAND When Scrubd founder Mark was unable to find a premium, all-natural bar of soap for men, he decided to create his own. Working with artisan soap makers, he crafted our first batch, Batch Number ONE, of hand-made soaps, designed specifically for men. Friends and family started using – and loving – the soaps, and very quickly Scrubd ran out of its first batch. They created more, and with each batch continued to refine their formula. Fast forward to today, and SCRUBD’s much-loved soap range has developed into a hand-crafted all-natural, organic triple-milled soap block, and is joined by their naturally effective Energising and Anti-Ageing skincare ranges. SCRUBD’s mission is simple, to help men feel great in their skin. When men feel great in their skin, they can master anything, leaving a unique mark in every area of their lives.
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/ 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
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| 14 Dec 2023 | Ep 124 - Becoming a B-corp | 00:29:28 | |
From Barrister to Beauty brand to B-Corp This weeks episode of the start scale succeed podcast we are chatting all about becoming a B-corp with This is silk founder Sonal Keay who during her legal career began a side hustle focused on the benefits of silk in skincare based on her own skincare needs and problems which then flourished and became her main focus and business Sonal shares her start up story and the initial research that went into the brand along with why she wanted to become a B-corp and takes us through that journey, explaining what exactly a B-corp is and advise to those that are going through that experience or are thinking of starting it. She discusses how it has changed their business operations, product sourcing and This is silks continual commitment to improvement, sustainability and growing an ethical business. Guest links Host 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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ | |||
| 16 Dec 2021 | Episode 23 – Holding on to Your Vision & Trusting Your Instinct with Emmy Pugh from Sunday & Soul | 00:38:13 | |
Today's podcast episode is a recording of an Instagram live with Emmy from Sunday and Soul who are a casual wear brand Inspired by sunny places, with comfort, joy, and confidence at its heart. Join Emmy and host Nicole as they chat about how Emmy went from a marketing career to establishing her own successful fashion brand during a pandemic, the highs and the lows and tips for those wanting to follow in her footsteps.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS "The things you can wear in London, if you wore them in Bristol you’d get looks" "I saw women who ran their own businesses as rock stars’ " "It’s hard to manufacture confidence because confidence come from experience" VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach www.instagram.com/sundayandsoul
ABOUT THE GUEST Emmy Pugh is the founder of Sunday and Soul, a casual wear brand inspired by sunny places, with comfort, joy, and confidence at its heart.
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/ 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
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| 07 Dec 2023 | Ep 123 - Leveraging your social media to make more sales with Sales expert Sara Dalrymple | 00:34:36 | |
Do you find selling easy? and are you using your socials to sell as much as you could. If you answered no to both of those questions then this episode is for you. Today's episode is a must-listen for every small business owner and entrepreneur looking for sustainable strategies to boost client engagement and sales without the burnout. Special guest Sara Dalrymple , a renowned sales trainer and mentor, who brings a treasure trove of practical advice from her new book 'More Sales, Please.' Dive into the heart of service-led selling, the power of storytelling, and how just 30 minutes a day can transform your business. Get ready to take notes as we uncover the secrets to consistent sales growth, genuine client connections, and the emotionally-driven world of successful marketing. Don't forget to reach out to Sara for more insights on 'Selling on Stories' and to preorder her book that's changing the game for small businesses everywhere. Here's a peek at what we're unpacking today! - The art of service before selling: How prioritizing your clients' needs leads to easier sales decisions. - Comfortable self-promotion: Finding the best medium, whether it's videos or writing, to communicate your business value. - Engagement without exhaustion: The fine balance of keeping your audience interested while avoiding burnout. - Skills that sell: Why promoting, marketing, and selling are the backbone of business success. - Size doesn't matter: Why a smaller audience can be just as effective as a large one in achieving sales. - Embracing authenticity: The shift in social media towards real content and personal connections. - More Sales, Please: A preview of Cara's new book and her 30-minute promotion model for consistent sales. - The Selling on Stories cheat sheet: Cara's tool for engaging and converting audiences at different interest levels. - The psychological power of storytelling: How emotional connections drive buying decisions. - Overcoming the mindset block: Tips to boost your confidence in selling and to focus on your audience. - Sales-focused motivation: A discussion on the true goals behind starting a business.
Sara Darlymple Sales stories cheat sheet Website Order Sara's book: More sales Please Instagram
Host The Buyer and retail coach https://www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. https://scaleandglow.com/ | |||
| 10 Aug 2022 | Episode 57 – What Numbers do You Need to Know in Your Retail Business With Sarah from Flourish Retail | 00:30:57 | |
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
BEST MOMENTS ‘Sales are vanity, profit is sanity’ ‘It’s important to trade in season’ ‘Add the context to the numbers’
EPISODE RESOURCES 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 | |||
| 01 Feb 2024 | Ep 131 - Why Bricks & Mortar Is Still Key To Brand Growth For Stork & Co Founder Sophie Cafolla | 00:31:41 | |
From running home on her lunch break to post orders to now owning a bricks and mortar store, a thriving online business and co-founding a ladies fashion brand. In this weeks episode of Start scale succeed (ep 131) I chat with Sophie Cafolla founder of stock & Co a stunning children’s lifestyle brand on how the brand has evolved over the years and why bricks and mortar is key to their growth. Sophie shares great insight and tips that will really help and inspire you in you business and on your journey. Sophie Embraced Failure Using early setbacks as learning opportunities to improve business strategies and product offerings How they rebranded so that they could strategically expand and diversify the business How listening to buyer feedback and acting quickly helped Sophie get stocked in their first wholesale account nationwide
Guest links
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/
Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 26 Jan 2023 | Ep 81 - Finding The Right Fulfilment With Dean Johnson, Founder of The Hubb | 00:27:22 | |
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
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 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 | |||
| 16 Mar 2023 | Ep 88 - Tips For Your Pre Launch Content Strategy With Nicole Giordano | 00:45:10 | |
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
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 RESOURCES ABOUT THE GUEST ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 13 Apr 2022 | Episode 40 - Starting a Lean Fashion Business With Leigh Unwin | 00:26:44 | |
True testament to starting a lean fashion business is Leigh Unwin, founder of The Style Attic which as the name suggests, did actually start in her attic in 2015 to fit around the needs of her family. This Start Scale Succeed episode is a recording of an Instagram live Nicole did with Leigh. Some of the topics discussed are: Starting a business around the needs of a family. Juggling a side hustle, full time job and family. Running the business through word of mouth and Facebook in the early days. Overcoming obstacles. And engaging customers through being authentic, honest and truly themselves.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘We just want to sell clothes to the people like us in situations like ours’ ‘We just try and be real’ ‘I want to grow but I don’t want to grow too quickly’
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
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/ 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 | |||
| 18 Nov 2021 | Episode 19 - Passion Positivity and Purpose with Roo Davis | 00:35:32 | |
Today's topic on Start Scale Succeed is confidence and mindset, to discuss these things, Nicole is joined by guest Roo Davis who is an accredited coach who works on gaining clarity, shifting mindset, behaviour and finding purpose. She helps people understand how they’re holding themselves back and how they can gain clarity in moving forward. KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘Success can scare people. To get into the growth zone you have to step out of your comfort zone’ ‘Learning is lifelong’ ‘These setbacks don’t have to totally knock you off course’
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.instagram.com/roodavies_themojocoach www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
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 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/ 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
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| 10 Nov 2022 | Episode 70 - Creating a Footwear Brand With Designer and Brand Mentor Lydia Howard of Footwear Design Insight | 00:28:05 | |
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
BEST MOMENTS EPISODE RESOURCES VALUABLE RESOURCES ABOUT THE GUEST ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 02 Nov 2023 | Ep 118 - Building a beauty brand with Jenni Retourné, founder of Willowberry | 00:35:59 | |
So many women I speak to follow a varied path before they start their business. And this week's guest also had a varied career before she set up her business. Jenni Retourné is the founder of independent, natural skincare brand, Willowberry. Join us as we dive deep into Jenni's journey of starting her own beauty brand, the challenges she faced, and the incredible success she has achieved. From formulating her signature products at her kitchen table to forging partnerships with key retailers, Jenni's story is nothing short of inspiring. Some of the key takeaways are:
Jenni Retourné Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniretourne/ 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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/
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| 06 Oct 2021 | Episode 13 - How Do We Deal with Burnout, an Interview with Katie Philips | 00:36:41 | |
Starting and running your own business can sometimes be exhausting, especially if you are trying to balance another full-time career, a family, or other responsibilities. Today on Start Scale Succeed, Nicole is chatting to Katie Phillips, burnout expert, business coach, and mentor, about dealing with being overwhelmed and burnout.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS
‘My sleep was terrible, an absolute classic sign of stress’
‘Rest, do not push through, do not keep going’
‘We’re human beings, we don’t send one part of ourselves to work and keep another part for home life’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Katie Phillips is a burnout expert and business mentor. She burned out 3.5 times during a 15-year career in communication and project management - the last of which led to chronic anxiety and depression that left her sick for a year. Since recovering she has dedicated herself to helping ambitious but overwhelmed humans and businesses to balance professional success and wellbeing. She does this with 1:1 coaching, group workshops and corporate training. She's also a qualified Mental Health First Aider that has helped hundreds of people to manage stress, improve their productivity and feel healthier and happier at work. She describes herself as "the caring but firm friend that will help you find gentler, smarter ways of working that are right for you." She and her work have been featured in The Independent, The Telegraph, EuroNews and more…
VALUABLE RESOURCES
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/ 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
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| 18 Apr 2024 | Ep 141 - What Investors Are Looking For In Your Business with Luke Desmond -Crisp Accountancy | 00:42:01 | |
At some stage in your business journey you may look for investment to help you start or grow. This week in ep 141 Luke Desmond joins the podcast to demystify investment and explain the investment landscape, who you should be approaching depending on what stage your business is at and the funds you are looking for. Highlights of this episode include: Pitching to Investors: The value of a compelling story, clear data, and a precise ask in your pitch deck. Understand your business valuation and be prepared with all necessary documentation. Business Valuation: Factors influencing valuation and the differences between valuation methods based on profit or potential growth. Preparing for Investment: A walk-through of how to best get ready for investment, including having a well-organized pitch deck and data room for potential investors. Explaining Lifetime value We delve into the components required to calculate a customer's lifetime value – average order value, frequency of purchases, and customer retention period – using a kidswear business as a case example. Client Acquisition Cost (CAC) Insight: Understanding CAC not only in terms of initial profit but over the longevity of client relationships and how it influences marketing budgets and investor relations. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS): Luke breaks down these tax-relief schemes aimed at aiding investors who back risky startups. Investor Relations: Tips for aligning with the right investors – what to look for, what to ask, and how to establish mutual expectations for a fruitful partnership. Guest Luke Desmond founder of crisp accountancy and fractional CFO has worked with businesses across a range of sectors but has specialist knowledge of technology, SaaS & E-commerce. He has helped businesses fine-tune original ideas & launch from day 1, raise seven figures and exit for eight figures.
founder and CEO of Crisp Accountancy, an accountancy firm that works with a range of businesses from Solopreneurs to Scale Up in a variety of different sectors. Luke works with businesses across a range of sectors but has a specialist knowledge of and passion for technology, SaaS & E-commerce. Through his work as Fractional CFO, he helps businesses fine-tune original ideas & launch from day 1, raise seven figures and exit for eight figures. He is on a mission to improve the financial understanding of business owners and I works closely with businesses to increase their profits and equip them with the necessary skills to master their finances and make better informed financial decisions. https://www.instagram.com/crispaccountancy/ https://crispaccountancy.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukedesmond/ https://www.lukedesmond.co.uk/ 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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 26 Sep 2024 | Ep 161 Navigating Self Doubt & Lack of Confidence with Holly Matthews | 01:05:07 | |
Anxiety, Self-doubt and lack of confidence are all things as business founders we can experience. Today’s episode of start scale succeed I chat with Life Coach, published Author & NLP Practitioner Holly Matthews about Finding your Confidence. Holly has just released her new book Find your confidence (see link below) She shares tips and tactics to help build and create confidence in several different situations Areas we chat about in the podcast are Building Confidence: Combining external body language techniques with internal mindset work. 'Fake it till you make it' approach while working on internal self-esteem. Developing self-belief through continued efforts and tools. Visualization and Scripting: Regular practice of visualization, especially before bed. Importance of scripting for public speaking and confidence in various scenarios. Anchoring Techniques: Methods like pressing fingers together to reinforce positivity and reduce anxiety, particularly effective for public speaking. Real-life Examples and Practical Tips: Holly shares her TED Talk experience and the role of visualization and anchoring in overcoming last-minute challenges. Handling Anxiety and Mindset Shifts: Techniques like breathwork, meditation, physical exercise, and EFT tapping for managing anxiety. Recognizing and challenging limiting beliefs through positive affirmations and real-time interventions. Setting Boundaries: Differentiating personal and business boundaries to maintain balance. Assertiveness in boundary enforcement to avoid passive or aggressive behaviours. Appearance and Self-Image: Addressing internalized critical messaging about appearance affecting public confidence. Striving for a balanced and authentic online presence. Moving from self-critique to neutrality and acceptance. Self-Compassion and Overcoming Negative Thoughts: Importance of challenging negative, fear-based stories and reframing failures with compassionate self-talk. Techniques for real-time thought interruption and adjusting self-perception. Guest Bio Holly Matthews Holly is a qualified Life Coach, NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist and Intuitive Psychology Coach. She has coached thousands of people across the world (across all walks of life, from Mums on the school run to Brit winning pop stars). Her debut book The Happy Me Project- A no nonsense guide to self development won Health and Wellbeing Magazines best wellbeing book of 2022 and hit number #1 on Amazon the day it released. Holly’s relatable and raw approach to self development has her teaching people how to feel ‘more happy and less crappy’ in a way that reaches those that never thought ‘self development’ would be for them. Www.iamhollymatthews.com Buy Find your Confidence https://amzn.eu/d/09gFk3Hy
Nicole Higgins has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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. | |||
| 10 Feb 2022 | Episode 31 - Do’s and Dont's of Working with Influencers with Stephanie O Quigley | 00:45:09 | |
According to influencer marketing hub, for every $1 that a brand spends on influencers, they get a return of nearly $6. But how do you find the right influencer for you who aligns with your brand, your customers, and your values? This week’s Start Scale Succeed is from an Instagram live where Nicole was joined by someone who knows about both sides of the coin, Stephanie O'Quigley. Find out how to build lasting relationships, gifting versus paid, and the do’s and don’ts of influencer marketing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
BEST MOMENTS ‘You have to take away the number factor’ ‘Be open to take on board all the feedback they have’ ‘I want to be in the position where I can turn down ten grand for a sponsorship!’ ‘Getting people excited before your launch is a good strategy’
VALUABLE RESOURCES www.stephanieoq.com
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 | |||
| 20 Apr 2023 | Ep 93 - Laura Nolan Horgan and LNH EDIT Two Years on | 00:54:22 | |
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
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.instagram.com/lauranolanhorgan ABOUT THE HOST CONTACT METHOD | |||
| 11 Oct 2023 | Ep 115 - Slow Growth to Success with Sallie King | 00:32:52 | |
This weeks episode I’m joined by Sallie King who started her business urbansize in 2015 leaving behind a career in law to establish her own business creating stylish furniture for small spaces. Slowly, establishing her business through etsy, not on the high street and DTC, We are debunking the overnight success myth and focusing on real stories, real business , real life Her innovative floating bedside tables began to take off with sales initially coming from Etsy, Sallie shares how she reimagined the product to drive more sales adapting her business to the changing consumer landscape
Some of the key takeaways are:
Links Sallie King https://www.instagram.com/miss.sallieking/ https://www.instagram.com/urbansize_home https://urbansize.co.uk/
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/ Neon Digital Clicks
Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year.
https://neondigitalclicks.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/neondigitalclicks/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/neon-digital-clicks/about/ | |||
| 05 Jun 2024 | Ep 147 - How To Stand Out in a Crowded Market with Journalist & Communications Expert Priscilla Pollara | 00:38:41 | |
Communications expert, journalist and PR guru Priscilla Pollara joins the start scale succeed podcast to chat Pitching to journalists and how to engage with them and how to find the right ones for your brand & products. Creating the story the journalist wants to hear and feature Collaborating with aligned brands to boost your visibility and leverage audiences Engaging customers through compelling stories and what that looks like and how to craft them. Understanding your unique Value proposition Guest bio With a background rooted in newspapers, Priscilla Pollara brings a unique perspective to problem-solving in the world of PR and communications. This distinct approach is the cornerstone of their firm, Top Trick, which is the culmination of years of experience in communications, journalism, reputation management, and branding. Priscillas journalistic eye allows them to view every project through a distinct lens, ensuring thorough and insightful strategies that set their clients apart in a crowded marketplace. https://toptrick.co.uk/collections/courses https://toptrick.co.uk/ Host Nicole Higgins Nicole has worked as a buyer and head of buying for over 18 years for retailers such as Primark, M&S and Debenhams and now uses her expertise and knowledge to help entrepreneurs start and scale their product businesses and continues to work on projects with corporates to increase bottom line sales and profits. She established her own business The Buyer And Retail Coach™ to help give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge to bring products to market. Her expertise covers many areas from product development to sourcing and strategy across multi-product categories 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? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||
| 26 Apr 2024 | Ep 142 - Pivoting When Your Business Isn’t Working For You with Mini & Moi Founder | 00:31:30 | |
What to do when your product business just isn’t working for you anymore?, this is where Kayley was a few months ago and she has reassessed and reflected on what she wants her brand and business to be and so she is pivoting and changing her business model. In this episodes she shares her journey of how she started, the challenges she has faced and why she is pivoting to move forward with podcast host Nicole Higgins Some of the topics covered Building a Brand with a Unique Selling Proposition:** Learn about Kayleigh's strategic shift towards a brand with an "always-in-stock" component, annual color changes, and seasonal drops. Wholesale and Market Strategies:** Insight into Kayleigh’s plans to wholesale her brand, her preparation for trade shows, and why she chose to delay her participation to ensure brand readiness. The Emotional Journey of Entrepreneurship:** Kayleigh discusses overcoming her fear of failure, redefining what failure means, and the personal pride she takes in managing her business alongside motherhood. Strategic Pivots and Operational Changes:** Hear how Kayleigh handled challenges including subletting her store space, closing the playroom, and her plans to focus more on her own successful brand. Future Aspirations and Current Projects:** Get a sneak peek into the upcoming launch of Kayleigh's new brand and the winter collection planned for September/October.
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/ Neon Digital Clicks Are you ready to scale your ecommerce store? Want to do it without having to wear yet another hat and become a digital marketing expert? This episode is brought to you by Neon Digital Clicks, THE paid-traffic partner for family and women’s e-commerce brands wanting to scale their stores from five figure to six figure months using Meta, Google and Klaviyo marketing services. Neon is offering listeners a FREE scaling audit worth £3000! So whether your sales have plateaued or you ’re looking for growth, this is a great opportunity to lift the lid on your biz and identify where the opportunities are hiding. Head to scaleandglow.com to discover just how much revenue you could scale your store to this year. | |||