The Commerce Club Podcast (Sophie Biggerstaff)

Hi I'm Sophie Biggerstaff🙋‍♀️

I help founders of ecommerce brands (fashion, lifestyle, beauty, fitness, food, health & home) take strategic action to set up and make sales in their businesses!

Are you ready to stop wasting your precious time and money on trying to figure it all out yourself & make an investment in your business to FINALLY turn your BIG IDEAS in to reality?  

If so, I can share with you my 14+ yrs experience working for global brands including Ralph Lauren & Burberry and scale down the strategies that I built for them to also work for your brand!

Hit subscribe to get FREE trainings on all things ecommerce & make sure you're following me on social media, listen to my podcast and join my mailing list for more FREE ecommerce business advice.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

In case we haven't met yet I'm Sophie Biggerstaff, founder of The Commerce Club and BYRCOLLECTIVE & I've spent the past 12 years working in the retail industry for brands including Ralph Lauren, Diesel, Kate Spade and Burberry.

In that time naturally I've learnt a thing or two about how to run a product business and I want to share my best tips with you...

In today's episode I share 3 most of the most important things i learnt during my time working in industry which were:

1️⃣ Never make assumptions!

As an insider in your business it’s easy to assume because you know everything about your business that everyone else does as well, but 99.9% of the time that is definitely not the case!

Never assume that because you have a link to your website in your bio that your audience knows where to go to buy, never assume because you put a picture up on your social media that your audience knows that it’s for sale, never assume because you like the colour pink that that’s your customers favourite colour, never assume that because you know you sent the order that your customer knows it’s on it’s way as well.

Over communication & validation of your assumptions is never a bad thing when running a product based business. To get the best results always act like the person you are speaking to knows nothing and you can educate them on everything they need to know to ultimately make the conversion.

2️⃣ All the answers you need are in the data!

I’ve said this a few times in the past, but everything you need to know to make informed decisions in your business is in the data from your sales!

If you’ve built your store on Shopify, run with a POS system, or linked you wesbite to google analytics you have data to analyze and use to make any new decisions in your business.

You should have access to your traffic, conversion, best sellers, profit margins etc - all of which should be key performance indicators in your business that you can review regularly & use this data to see where you need to take action to drive the results you want.

3️⃣ Your business is not about you, it’s about your customer!

It’s easy to focus on what YOU want when you’re running a business, but ultimately you are probably not the person that is going to be buying your product.

So every decision you make, you need to get out of your own head and in to the head of your ideal customer. Will they resonate with the product or content you are putting out?

Because if the answer to that is no, then this is going to be an issue when it comes to making sales!

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

In today's episode I am doing a live coaching session with Leanne, founder of Hachure Active to tackle a couple of the problems she has been facing recently in her business.

Hachure Active is a sustainable eco-conscious outdoor activewear brand for the wild and adventurous. Premium quality clothing created around the core values of being ethical and sustainable, built with longevity in mind.

I met Leanne through instagram, and we’ve worked together a couple of times in one of my group coaching programmes so I’ve got to know her business fairly well. Leanne has come to me today with a couple of problems she is currently facing in her business including: 

• How she can juggle her business and job at the same time.
• What she needs to do in order to be able to leave her job and focus on her business full time.
• What she should be focusing on and investing money/time in to in order to grow her business.
• How she can keep her product assortment feeling/looking fresh without bringing in too much newness.

I am going to help her debunk all of this in today's live coaching session.

You can connect with Leanne on instagram @hachure.active and @thegarmentdesigner
Shop Hachure Active online at www.hachureactive.com. 

Make sure you subscribe and like this podcast if you want to hear more tips on setting up and running a product based business.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

One of the most important things you have to master as an entrepreneur is your mindset!

There’s 3 things I always say entrepreneurs needs, passion perseverance and ability to pivot and ultimately all of these come down to having the right mindset, so today I am talking to a very good friend of mine Kelsey March - a positive psychology coach from Chicago.

I met Kelsey in Bali, we've spent many hours co-working together, along with many nights out, and I honestly had some of the best advice I’ve ever been given on how to manage my mindset. I'll be sharing with you what that is in this episode!

Kelsey helps entrepreneurs master their mindset, emotions and productivity habits to improve life balance and business success and her key takeaway from this discussion was that you are the foundation of your business, so it's important you take care of yourself so you thrive as a business owner.

To do this the number one recommendation Kelsey has is to master your breathing. As we discuss an easy place to start is with square breathing, there's a great 5 minute one that we recommend trying that can be found on YouTube here!

You can connect with Kelsey on instagram and facebook @habits.to.happyness and the website to check out more about what Kelsey does can be found here!

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Have you got a product based business, that you could add a service based revenue stream to?

In today’s episode of The Commerce Club podcast I am chatting with Gemma, founder of @gemmabishoplondon who has recently added an interior design service to her Accessories/Lifestyle brand.

I met Gemma when she was working as a Visual Merchandiser for Kate Spade and I was the Buyer, together we mapped out and opened many stores, and I can vouch for her incredible eye for detail when it comes to all things design.

It’s likely adding a service in to your existing business may be targeting a new customer entirely, so in this episode Gemma and I unpack this and discuss options for how best to promote & manage her new business venture.

You can check out everything Gemma does here!

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

The past few years shopping behavior has changed massively. Fast fashion is no longer the primary choice for many people when they want to refresh their wardrobe and buy in to the latest trends.

Instead consumers are becoming more conscious of their buying habits to make them more sustainable and considered to avoid waste and do better for the environment.

Todays episode is in honour of second hand september, which is a campaign run my @oxfamgb to encourage people to buy only second hand items for 30 days in the month of September.

Today’s guest @ellensinwonderland is a fashion youtuber and instagrammer, ex fashion brand merchandiser and she also spends a lot of time spreading awareness around the ups and downs of chronic illness.

Over the past couple of years Ellen has made a conscious effort to change her shopping behaviours from fast to slow fashion, thrifting much of her wardrobe from second hand websites and charity shops.

In honour of second hand september, in this episode Ellen gives us her best tips on how you can start shopping more sustainably and thrifting your wardrobe which were:

1. Go in with an open mind as you might go in wanting one thing, and come out with something else, you never know what gems you might find.
2. Clear out your wardrobe before you start thrifting so you know exactly what you have and don’t buy any duplicates and can also sell anything you no longer want or need.
3. Take inventory of what you already have so you know what you need.

Ellens favourite places to shop are:

https://www.vinted.com

https://www.depop.com

https://www.ebay.com

If you take part in the campaign this month, make sure you use the hashtags #SecondHandSeptember #FoundInOxfam.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Ellen has been running her streetwear brand for the past couple of years, year one was all about taking baby steps and experimenting with product to see what worked, year two Ellen has been focusing more on the commercial side of running her business and focusing on growth and sustainability.

There’s 2 things she’s looking at to help her grow…

1. Email marketing.
2. Adding revenue streams to diversify her income.

In this episode we look at options for what she can do to add additional revenue to her product business using her existing skill sets and how she can convert more of her audience in to buyers using email marketing without feeling like she is spamming inboxes.

You can shop by.eln here!

https://by-eln.com/

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Today’s podcast guest is my business bestie @clare_alex_consults who in case you haven’t met yet is a fashion brand consultant who helps fashion business entrepreneurs with product development and launching their brands.

& together we are going to be debunking a hot topic & a question we get all the time…

How much does it cost to start a brand?

So, if we’re going to be honest here there’s no right or wrong answer to this question, you can make something work and start a business with any amount of money, but in this episode you’ll find out what we recommend and how you can invest your budget wisely to get maximum return.

Give it a listen and let us know what budget you started your brand with in the comments.

If you want to find our more about Clare you can find her at https://www.clare-alexander.co.uk/.

Need support managing the budget for your business set up? This is something I can work with you on. 

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

This week on the podcast we are talking about exporting your product globally with my friend Hattie I’Anson.

Exporting your product is probably something you’d want to start doing when you have recognized opportunity in your goods outside of your domestic selling region. For example if you have set up and selling your product in the UK, but you know there is a gap in the market for your product in Australia, you would want to start exporting and selling in this new region.

Exporting comes with lots of challenges and things to consider, so today my guest Hattie is sharing all of her tips around exporting goods that she has learnt from working with her family business British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Company.

Hatties best tips for exporting include:

• Making sure you are really strategic about where you are exporting to.
• Thinking about what is best for you a direct route to market where you sell in to that region directly or indirect through a distributor.
• Make use of the free resources out there including The Department of International Trade, who has free workshops and seminars at your disposal.

You can check out British Horse Feeds and The Golden Paste Co to see which regions they currently sell in.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Sometimes when you are running a business it can feel like you are spinning so many plates all the time, fire fighting and keeping yourself afloat that you end up losing sight of your original business goal and going a bit off piste. 

Maybe you set up your business with the intention that you were going to have 100% of your sales through your online store, so you could be less location dependent and avoid paying physical space rent, but somehow suddenly all of your revenue is coming from a physical retail location which means you are tied to that site and are now finding it difficult to grow your online business because all of your time and resource is being used up with developing your physical store.

This is exactly what has happened to today's guest Barbaraella - she set up her vintage clothing business in the pandemic wanting it to be fully online, but when lockdown ended she opened shop in the world famous Brick Lane Vintage market. After a step back from her business, she has realized her current business model does not align with her long term and initial goals, so she is now looking to pivot her strategy back to align with her original business goal.

In today's episode we look at the current business model she is operating with and how she can transition back to where she wants the business to be.

You can shop By Barbaraella here!

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

In today’s episode I am chatting to Sian Louise, founder of obvs skincare!

Sian has a super inspirational personal story behind the reason for starting her brand which you will hear as we head in to the episode, it’s commonly said that all the most successful businesses are born from your own challenges and this could not be more true for Sian and her story!

One of the things most of my clients want when starting a business is to be able to make it their full time job instead of their side hustle and after a just over a year in business Sian is about to do just that, so this episode also marks a huge milestone for her!

In this episode we also discuss the fact that Sian has been running this business with dyslexia and recently diagnosed ADHD and how this has impacted her business set up journey in both positive and negative ways.

Although obvs is doing considerably well, Sian has been struggling to know how to grow her audience without pumping all her money in to paid ad so this is the challenge I’ll be debunking with her today…

You can catch Sian on instagram @obvs_skincare and shop obvs skincare here: https://obvs-skincare.co.uk/

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

In recent years sustainability & ethical manufacturing have become somewhat “buzz words” in the industry, but the fact is that this is the direction all brands need to head in if we really want to see change in the retail world.

Sara Collins is an ethical production guru, she believes in making ****ethical production accessible (and stress free) for independent brands. She connects Fair Trade enterprises and ethical manufacturers with conscious businesses.

In today’s episode Sara talks to us about how new businesses can start off in their sustainable & ethical brand journey. Some of the topics we delve in to are…

• The secrecy of manufacturing, and how sustainability is making this more collaborative.
• How your customer shouldn’t be concerned by paying more for your product if you are targeting the right people.
• How your brand values will determine how you manufacture.

Her best tip for starting a sustainable and ethical brand is to try not to cover all basis at the beginning - think about what is most important to you and do that well, then you can move on to including other things as you develop and grow.

Learn more about fairtrade brands here!

You can find Saras consultancy and ethical fashion brand here…

https://www.sarahelencollins.com/

https://www.sisterandkin.com/

& her new fabric supplier directory with Elizabeth Stiles focused on low MOQs is available to download now.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Do you run your business or does your business run you?

Running a business is a hefty job, you’ll be wearing so many hats and trying to keep yourself afloat when things inevitably don’t go to plan. To give you the best possible foundations to be running your business, staying healthy is going to be play a HUGE part of this.

Today I’m chatting to you Amalaya Rossi about how to stay healthy as a small business owner. She is a curious scientist who likes to connect western science with eastern wisdom to offer guidance to creating a life of wellbeing and ease.

In this episode we discuss…

• Burnout & stress and the physical symptoms to look out for if it’s affecting you and your business.
• Habits to adopt for optimal health.
• The impact not looking after yourself will have on your business.

You can connect with Amalaya for more tips and 1-1 wellbeing support here:

https://www.instagram.com/amalayarossi/?hl=en

http://amalayarossi.com/

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

All the best businesses are formed from a problem or a personal frustration & in this episode I am talking to Tracey, the founder of Children of the deep - a swimwear brand targeting young and free spirited girls.

She launched her business out of a frustration for not being able to find quality, practical, trendy and sustainable swimwear for her teenage daughter when they were going on holiday.

Tracey went in to her business with the impression starting a product business was going to be really easy, but in this episode we talk about how she soon realized actually that was not the case and ended up having to sample 6 times to get her product right!

One problem Tracey has been struggling with is how to target her ideal customer when she as a founder does not feel like her customer resonates with her as the face of the brand.

We discuss options for what she can do to get her marketing material resonating more with her teen audience & how she can manage the overwhelm as a one man band founder.

You can check Children of the deep out here:

https://www.childrenofthedeep.com/

https://www.instagram.com/childrenofthedeep/

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Running a business is all about confidence.

Having the confidence to show up, having the confidence to take action, having the confidence to go after what you want!

Sometimes, our confidence can hold us back…

It can stop us wanting to show up on instagram stories, because who wants to hear us speaking about our business right?

It can stop us outreaching to new clients, because who is going to buy from us?

IMPOSTER SYNDROME IS REAL

and it affects way too many people (especially women) from achieving their max potential in business!

Sophie French is a confidence and self trust coach who works with women to tackle the limiting beliefs that are stopping them from stepping in to their confidence in their business

In this episode Sophie & I discuss what the most common limiting belief are, how your childhood may have affected how you are showing up for your business and what steps you can take to start working through anything that is holding you back!

This podcast is sure to get you ready to take action on working on your business mindset to move your business forward!

You can find Sophie here:

https://www.instagram.com/sophiefrench.co/

https://linktr.ee/sophiefrenchcreative

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

This week on The Commerce Club podcast I am talking to Kat who is the founder of Vandal Kids. Kat and I were first introduced when she attended the lets get down to business event @clare_alex_consults and I hosted back in September 2021.

Kat came to me looking for advice on how to get her childrenswear brand stocked in retailers, however we soon realised there was so much more opportunity for her brand through pop up shops and events.

Kats product is very interactive, is has been designed for children to play mess free, so it lends itself nicely to pop up events where both parents and children can interact with the product and see how it works first hand.

In this episode Kat and I discuss some of the reasons why her pop up events have been so successful and why she is focusing on a local sale strategy before she goes down the route of approaching national retailers.

You can check out Vandal kids here: https://www.vandalkidswear.com/ @vandalkids_london on instagram!

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

I was first introduced to the founder of Kids Life Clothing Carlene back in 2020 when we connected over LinkedIn, she came to me with her idea of starting a childrenswear multi-brand ecommerce website, but having limited experience in the retail industry, she just didn’t know how to execute this.

I worked with Carlene on outreaching and onboarding and buying in to some of the world biggest premium luxury fashion brands for her to stock on her website, these included the likes of Juicy Couture, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, DKNY to name a few.

The set up of this business wasn’t always smooth sailing though, but Carlene is probably one of the most ambitious and determined people I know so I wanted her to share her story as inspiration for anyone considering starting a product business.

In this episode Carlene talks about some of the limitations we faced when we were on boarding the brands, why she consulted business support to help her start out and where she should invest next to grow the business further.

You can check out Kids Life Clothing here: www.kidslifeclothing.co.uk and on instagram @kidslifeclothing

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Influencer marketing - it’s a term that if you are working with product I am sure you are familiar with, but possibly don’t know how best to utilize it for the benefit of your business!

I hear from clients all the time that they have tried using influencer marketing and they’ve sent out product or paid for a post and seen no sales come from the effort and money they have put in to it.

So what can you do to get the most out of influencer marketing? How do you protect your brand and find the right influencers to work with? and how can you utilize influencer marketing without it costing your brand $$$.

In this weeks episode of The Commerce Club podcast I am chatting to influencer marketing expert Yash Chavan where we discuss how to utilize ambassadors instead of paying for posts, how to choose influencers that are aligned with your brand, how to put measures in place to get a return on your investment.

Yash runs an influencer marketing tool called SARAL - which helps you choose the right influencer for you! Check SARAL 2out here!

You can connect with Yash on LinkedIn here!

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Animalia is a fightwear brand with a social heartbeart, founder Tony has been running the business from his hub in Glasgow for the past 6 years.

The business started off the back of Tonys career as a sports development youth worker where he recognized that there was a need for more support for the youth community in his local area.

Tony developed a range of fightwear, partnering with world class fighters which he sells through Animalia and reinvests profits in to activities for the community such as hillwalks, boardgame nights, socials and he even gets the community involved in designing product for the brand.

I met Tony during the pandemic when 4 years in to running the business he wanted to go back and apply some stronger foundations to the brand, we worked together to get the apparel side of the business in a position to grow.

Tony fell in to running this business and it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, especially when his mental health took a few dips along the way.

In this episode I chat to Tony about his mental health challenges and the importance of putting yourself first even when you’re a founder.

You can check out Animalia Apparel here: https://animaliaapparel.co.uk/shop and on instagram @animalia_apparel

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This weeks guest on The Commerce Club podcast is Ciara - she is an all round fabric whizz and joins me today to chat about sourcing fabrics for your small product business.

If you are starting a fashion brand it is highly likely you will need to source yourself some kind of fabric for your product, and this can feel like a minefield if this is something you have no experience in - and it’s likely that as a new business founder bringing your idea to life you’ve probably never done this before and it can feel super overwhelming.

Ciara has been working in the fabric sourcing industry for many years, she studied textile design, and has held fabric sourcing positions at UK high street giants including River Island & Coast and now runs her own fabric agency where she represents 8 fabric mills all over the world.

In this episode Ciara talks us through the fabric sourcing process, how to avoid hefty fabric MOQs and the common mistakes people make when they are sourcing their fabrics.

Ciara is also hosting some fabric sourcing and sustainability workshops in January 2023 - so keep a look out for these!

You can connect with Ciara here: https://www.ciarajenningstextiles.com/ and on instagram @ciara_jen_tex

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For me 2022 was my year to focus on me, this was not a year for me to focus on my business as I had been the past 2 years, but suprisingly from taking a step back I actually learnt SO MUCH. So here’s 22 things I learnt about business in 2022…

1. Breaks are healthy, feel like you need time off? Take it!
2. You need to expand yourself with other people that are doing what you want to do in order to feel like YOU CAN DO IT. 
3. Everything comes down to your mindset and it needs to be neutral for you to really achieve what you want to achieve. 
4. The energy you put in is what you’ll get back.
5. Don’t force anything - if you are constantly coming up against challenges when you try over and over to do the same thing and it still isn’t working, maybe it’s time to stop forcing something to work and pivot in to a new direction.
6. Trust your gut.
7. Community is key surround yourself with people who understand what you’re doing, support you, hold you accountable and you’ll find yourself in a constant thinktank.
8. There’s opportunity everywhere, be open to exploring opportunities across all walks of your life.
9. You should be running your business, not letting your business run you. 
10. You can’t pour from an empty cup, when you feel like you are running on energy, take a step back to recharge before you pick up where you left off with a new set of eyes.
11. Sales can be passive, you just need to put the work in to set your business up to sell on automation.
12. Money is not the be all and end all, it’s even more fulfilling when your business has a wider purpose.
13. The environment you work from is super important to keep inspiring and motivating your ideas and productivity.
14. Business support is the best investment you will make - this year I’ve hired social media support, business coaches, branding designers - all people who have areas of expertise that I don’t so I can offload some of my work and also get a fresh perspective on my business.
15. If you don’t market, you won’t sell. 
16. The things that scare you will be the things that you get the most out of!
17. Social media is not the be all and end of all of marketing - if it’s not your thing find something that is, like I have with my podcast The Commerce Club.
18. Collaborations are fun, myself & @clare_alex_consults are proof of this, check out our group coaching 6 months to launch pad here!
19. If you know you should be doing something, but you’re not doing it, there’s probably something deeper going on here and you won’t make moves until you solve it.
20. Hustle culture sucks, life & business is more enjoyable when it feels balanced.
21. The less I work, the more productive I am with my time.
22. Your business

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Laura first came on to my radar when she was initially in the early stages of setting up her brand the shortlist, we were connected on LinkedIn and she posted an update about her career change that went viral. This was the beginning of some amazing success with social media for the shortlist & proof LinkedIn is not just a proffessional networking platform for corporates.

The shortlist is a limited edition petite fashion brand, helping sub 5’3 girls break up with their tailotrs. The best businesses are often born out of personal challenges and Laura had always struggled to find clothes to fit her other than the trend led petite sections at miss selfridge and topshop.

She took matters in to her own hands and pivoted her career from recruiter to fashion designer and documented her entire business set up journey along the way.

In this weeks episode of the commerce club podcast I chat to Laura about why she thinks her launches have been so successful & some challenges she has had to battle through. 

If you want to find out more about Laura and her brand The Shortlist you can check her out on instagram hereand her website here!

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Elizabeth Stiles is the friendly face in fashion, she is a retail and sales expert and helps brands launch and sell their products without selling their soul.

In this episode of the commerce club podcast I wanted to talk to Elizabeth about launching and what it really takes to have a successful launch!

Elizabeth is the queen of launching for her own business and helps other business owners get comfortable with selling through social media. The stats we discuss in this episode may blow your mind as we talk about how many times Elizabeth had to talk about her recent course througout her launch.

We also talk about some of the things that might be holding you back from launching and selling.

This episode is definielty one you need to listen to if you are starting a brand in 2023.

Find out more about today's guest Elizabeth Stiles on instagram here! 

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I was first introduced to Kayleigh through my client Calene. Both of them used crowdfunding as a route to launch their businesses back in the pandemic and had great success through their campaigns via Natwests back her business.

Off the back of her successful crowdfunder Kayleigh launched her workout headwear brand Bind London and has had a huge amount of support for her business set up journey since documenting via social media.

Kayleigh is brilliant at sharing the BTS in her entrepreneurship journey through LinkedIn and instagram and she most recently partnered with Crowdfunder uk to help support more entrepreneurs with the crowdfunding campaigns.

Crowdfunding is an amazing way to fund your business idea if you don’t have the initial capital to invest to set up your brand. In this episode of the commerce club podcast Kayleigh and I chat about crowdfunding, how to plan your campaign, what you need to do to make it a success and what you might want to use your money to invest in.

You can check out today's guest Kayleigh and her brand Bind London here:

Instagram
Bind London
Website

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Have you been sitting on an idea for an incredible product, but never had the tools, knowledge or time you need to take action and set it up?

Myself & fellow retail business expert Clare Alexander are here to help! We have broken it down in to 6 key stages you need to go through in order to set up a brand within approximately 6 months.

In this episode we give you a quick overview of what they are.

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Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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In todays episode of The Commerce club podcast I am chatting to Fae, founder of fable petite, she is currently half way through the process of setting up her petite womenswear brand.

After discovering a gap for peitite brands in the market Fae has taken a leap of faith in her idea and putting some of her designs in to development, it hasn’t been smooth sailing though as Fae soon realised her expectation of what product development would be like was not quite the reality.

I chat to Fae about the overwhelm that comes with setting up a product business when you don’t have a background in the retail industry and how this has impacted her conversations with suppliers.

If like Fae you are in the process of setting up a product based business and would like some support don’t forget this is something I can help you.

You can follow Fae and Fable Petites set up journey here:

https://www.fablepetite.com/

https://www.instagram.com/fablepetite/?hl=en

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Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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Elle is the ecommerce assistant with the superpower to show independent businesses how to get the most out of their online shops by using shopify and klaviyo.

In this episode of the commerce club podcast I am chatting to elle about email marketing - a marketing channel we both feel is neglected so often by small product business founders due to lack of time or knowledge on how to get started with it.

But the thing is we both know how important this marketing channel could be for your business to drive conversions if it’s used correctly so I wanted to chat to elle so she could give you some of her best advice on how to set up and utilize email marketing in your product based business.

You can find Elle here: https://www.theecommerceassistant.com/

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Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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I'm very excited to share todays episode as Lizzie is an ex-client of mine and all the topics we covered in todays coversations we suuuper interesting and tbh unplanned, the conversation took a really interesting turn and we spoke about some topics that we both felt very passionately about, so I'm looking forward to hearing your feedback. 

Lizzie and I worked together back in 2021/2022 when she was launching her brand B.X.M. Lizzie had limited experience in the retail world, and she consulted lots of business support services to help her bring her idea to life, so that she didn't waste money or time on the wrong things.

Lizzies business set up journey came with extra challenges due to some personal situations she faced along the way, naturally she wanted to pour her everything in to this business set up, but in reality her head was elsewhere and this did inevitably impact her motivation to show up for her new business launch.

In this episode we have a very candid chat about the pressures founders put on themselves due to toxic work & hustle culture, our opinions on setting yourself business goals, why you have to spend money to make money, what it feels like going in to year one in your business and what happens when LIFE gets in the way of you working on your business.

You can check Lizzie & B.X.M out here: https://www.iambxm.com/ 
https://www.instagram.com/iamb.x.m/

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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Clare is back for this episode of The Commerce Club podcat & today we are talking about how to network to benefit your product based business…

Clare & I met during the pandemic via a networking group called The Coven and bonded over a shared mission to support small product business owners set up and grow their brands and our mutual love of dessert.

We both joined The Coven because starting a business during lockdown was super lonely, we didn’t have anyone to share our experiences with, hold us accountable or hash out our problems to. We were craving connection, with people that actually understood what we were going through as new service business owners…

& we found that in eachother! Suddenly business didn’t feel so overwhelming and we were constantly sparking ideas off of eachother, so much so that we decided to collaborate and back in September 2021 we hosted our first LIVE networking event which was a special evening brining 50 small product business owners together to chat about their brands, find support in eachother, share learns, and find their business community. So many of the attendees of this event have gone on to collaborate with eachother & find life long business besties - which is something we know you probably want as well, but maybe you don’t have the confidence to approach people or you don’t know how to network…

In this episode we talk you through some of our tips for networking and also invite you to join our product business networking hub - a place for you to connect with other small product business owners who are going through and facing the same challenges, lessons & conversations as you!

If you want to find our more about Clare you can find her at https://www.clare-alexander.co.uk/ 

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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Todays guest on the Commerce Club podcast is Denisa is the founder of branding and packaging design agency Kind & Ivy. Denisa is on a mission to transform conscious small businesses into memorable brands. After graduating from her master's degree in environmental science, she knew she wanted to use her knowledge and expertise to make a change in the world. She's turned my passion for sustainability and design into giving good causes a bigger voice and helping them stand out in a sea of the same.

In this episode Denisa and I chat all things packaging and why it plays an important part in taking your customer on a journey to convert.

Packaging is a hot topic amongst all of my clients especially when it comes to figuring out how much you should buy and what budget you should spend on it, so in this episode we dele right in to all the questions I so often get asked

You can find Denisa here:
https://www.instagram.com/kindandivy.studio
https://kindandivy.com/welcome

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Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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Today’s guest Kira Matthews is a manifestation coach, podcast host and all round joy to chat to about all the spirtual woo woo topics I love to chat about.

I met Kira a few years ago as we both lived in the same area of London, so we connected and had a lot of common ground. I wanted to get her on the podcast to chat about a topic I’ve personally been exploring over the past year of so which is Manifestation.

Manifestation is all about emboding the person you want to be or visualizing yourself already having the things you desire.

In this episode we chat about the first time Kira was introduced to manifestation, how it works & how you can start using it to manifest your big business goals in to your life.

You can check Kira out here:

https://www.kiramatthews.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kirathebold/

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Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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In todays episode of The Commerce Club podcast myself and founder of the uncommon club membership Kimberly are talking about freedom in business.

So many of us, myself included have set up our businesses with the goal of escaping the 9-5 and finding freedom in our work lives.

It’s not always an easy journey, especially if you are one of the many founders that leans more towards the creative side and struggles with the more businessy aspects of actually running a business.

Running a business and living a freere life can also be super isolating especially if the people around you are all living that corporate ladder lifestyle, they don’t get it that you might have to work at weekends, or that during the week you might just take a random day off, and sometimes money is a real worry as we don’t always know when our next paycheck is gonna be.

& That’s why Kimberly has designed the membership uncommon club,

The uncommon club has created a dedicated space for creatives to thrive. It’s a hub for change-makers to elevate their voice and bring their unique talent to the world. Kimberly is building a global network of freedom-seeking creatives for inspired support and a united voice of change. Through the membership she is connecting forward-thinking creatives from across the globe to drive the creative movement via inspired collaborations, trend sharing, and open discussions. & as a collective we are changing the narrative across the board. From challenging traditional working narratives, reshaping what success means, and changing the narrative on following a creative path.

Essentially the common club is a positive, inspiring, and uplifting space that goes against standard social networks.

In todays episode we dicuss what it feels like when you don’t want to live a traditional working lifestyle, why it’s so important to find your tribe when setting up your business and why the uncommon club membeship might help you finally find your freedom.

You can find out more and subscribe to The Uncommon Club membership here:
https://uncommon-folk.com/registration-form/

Don't forget to quote my name SOPHIE BIGGERSTAFF when you join.

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Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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Copywriting it’s a task in business that we either love or hate to do.

If you’re a creative maybe it comes naturally to you, if you struggle with words this part of your business probably starts to feel like hard work and that;s when you know it’s time to outsource…

In this weeks episode of the commerce club podcast I’m talking to Kate founder of eat your words copy about how important your tone of voice as a brand actually is.

Kate gives us her best advice and copywriting tips for ecommerce websites and how you can convert customers through your choice of words.

Connect with Kate here: https://www.eatyourwordscopy.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatyourwords__/

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

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Today’s guest is Harriet a freelance fashion and tech pack designer with 10+ years experience working in the fashion industry.

When starting a brand on a budget, tech packs and samples is often something that is neglected due to low start up funds, but it’s actually a huge part of a product development process that should not be missed.

The thing is putting your product in to development without tech packs and sampling is super risky, what might save you money in the short term, may cost you a lot in the long run.

In this episode Harriet and I chat about the product development process and how to eliminate risk by creating tech packs and samples.

Need a tech pack designer? Harriet can be found here…

http://www.harrietfreelance.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/harrietfreelance_/?hl=en

If you have been dreaming about setting up a product based business this year, but  you feel like you have NO idea where to start with setting up their business 🤷‍♀️

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Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

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This weeks guest on the commerce club podcast is the wonderful Alana who is the founder of this is the remix.

This is the remix was born following alanas diagnoses of autism aged 36, she wanted to create something that was inspired by all of her interests and elements of her personality to promote a positve message to anhyone struggling with mental health and suppor tthem on their healing journey.

I loved this conversation so much as mental health is a hot topic for me and ive been on my own healing journey over the past few years, so we had a lot to talk about and her story is super inspirational.

You can check out This is the remix here!
Instagram here!

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If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

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This week on the commerce club podcast I am doing something a bit different in celebration of the launch of my online course platform which is called - you guessed it - The Commerce Club.

The Commerce Club is a educational platform where you will find courses designed and led by me to support you in starting your very own ecommerce or product based business.

I guide you through how to get started with developing your idea and turning in to reality, so you can make money from the products you want to sell from the day you launch using everything I know from my 13+ year retail industry career and give you actionable steps to take along the way to make sure you are moving in the right direction to set this business up.

So if in 6 months time you want to be seeing your first sales are pinging through your online shop after you’ve sourced your dream products and launched them to a warmed up audience on social media and you are comitted to turning your ideas in to reality YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

Every day this week I am sharing a module of the course with your for FREE!

Today I am talking about how to target your ideal customer...

Ultimately they are the ones that are going to be buying from you, so you need to know who they are! In module 3 of the “how to turn your idea in to reality” course on the commerce club we delve in to: Why your product needs to be relevant to them.  How to target them with your marketing. How you can retain their long term custom
& build a loyal community of people who love what you do!

If you loved what you heard in todays module clipping from The Commerce Club there is plenty more where that came from.

Why not head over to www.thecommerceclub.co and enroll in the ECOM Launch Pad to start taking action to turn your ideas in to reality today. Use the code STARTNOW to get 10% off your enrollment.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

This week on the commerce club podcast I am doing something a bit different in celebration of the launch of my online course platform which is called - you guessed it - The Commerce Club.

The Commerce Club is a educational platform where you will find courses designed and led by me to support you in starting your very own ecommerce or product based business.

I guide you through how to get started with developing your idea and turning in to reality, so you can make money from the products you want to sell from the day you launch using everything I know from my 13+ year retail industry career and give you actionable steps to take along the way to make sure you are moving in the right direction to set this business up.

So if in 6 months time you want to be seeing your first sales are pinging through your online shop after you’ve sourced your dream products and launched them to a warmed up audience on social media and you are comitted to turning your ideas in to reality YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

Every day this week I am sharing a module of the course with your for FREE!

Today I am talking about how to build a strategy for your brand.

A strategy is simply a plan of action that you can implement to get you one step closer to your goals!

& there’s a few strategies you are going to want to create if you are setting up an ecommerce/product business…

Product strategy - What are you selling? How much of it? Why? USP?

Pricing strategy - Where do you sit in the market? What will incentivize people to buy from you? How much is too much?

Marketing strategy - How will your build awareness and target the people you want to sell to?

Sales strategy - How are you actually going to sell to them?

I cover all of this in module 2 of  my course “How to set up your product business” in The Commerce Club.

If you loved what you heard in todays module clipping from The Commerce Club there is plenty more where that came from.

Why not head over to www.thecommerceclub.co and enroll in the ECOM Launch Pad to start taking action to turn your ideas in to reality today. Use the code STARTNOW to get 10% off your enrollment.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

This week on the commerce club podcast I am doing something a bit different in celebration of the launch of my online course platform which is called - you guessed it - The Commerce Club.

The Commerce Club is a educational platform where you will find courses designed and led by me to support you in starting your very own ecommerce or product based business.

I guide you through how to get started with developing your idea and turning in to reality, so you can make money from the products you want to sell from the day you launch using everything I know from my 13+ year retail industry career and give you actionable steps to take along the way to make sure you are moving in the right direction to set this business up.

So if in 6 months time you want to be seeing your first sales are pinging through your online shop after you’ve sourced your dream products and launched them to a warmed up audience on social media and you are comitted to turning your ideas in to reality YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

Every day this week I am sharing a module of the course with your for FREE!

Today I am talking about taking your customer on a journey, because let's be honest nobody JUST buys from you…

For someone to buy from you, they need to trust you, think you are credible, understand what you can offer them and feel like they have a relationship with you, you do this through taking them on a customer journey to convert…

How do you take them on a journey?

I explain all in module 3 of my course “how to launch your brand” in The Commerce Club.

If you loved what you heard in todays module clipping from The Commerce Club there is plenty more where that came from.

Why not head over to www.thecommerceclub.co and enroll in the ECOM launch pad to start taking action to turn your ideas in to reality today. Use the code STARTNOW to get 10% off your enrollment.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

This week on the commerce club podcast I am doing something a bit different in celebration of the launch of my online course platform which is called - you guessed it - The Commerce Club.

The Commerce Club is a educational platform where you will find courses designed and led by me to support you in starting your very own ecommerce or product based business.

I guide you through how to get started with developing your idea and turning in to reality, so you can make money from the products you want to sell from the day you launch using everything I know from my 13+ year retail industry career and give you actionable steps to take along the way to make sure you are moving in the right direction to set this business up.

So if in 6 months time you want to be seeing your first sales are pinging through your online shop after you’ve sourced your dream products and launched them to a warmed up audience on social media and you are comitted to turning your ideas in to reality YOU ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

Every day this week I am sharing a module of the course with your for FREE!

Today I am talking about SELLING and why you need a sales strategy in your ecommerce business.

Marketing & sales strategies work hand in hand...

You need to have a sales strategy to know exactly how you are actually going to sell your product and be able to take actions in order to make it happen..

Basically your sales strategy is the messaging you will use to feed your marketing campaigns.

I talk you through why you need a sale strategy in module 1 of the “how and where to sell” course in The Commerce Club.

If you loved what you heard in todays module clipping from The Commerce Club there is plenty more where that came from.

Why not head over to www.thecommerceclub.co and enroll in the ECOM launch pad to start taking action to turn your ideas in to reality today. Use the code STARTNOW to get 10% off your enrollment.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

It’s been a while, but I am back and I am SO excited to restart the Commerce Club podcast!

& this time we’re on video…

I had to pause the podcast for a while due to issues with my laptop, starting a new business, life drama and an intensive period of traveling. But, I always knew I’d be back eventually as I love podcasting - it allows me to build relationships and share better insights than any instagram reel or tiktok could allow me to.

In my first episode back I give you an update on what you’ve missed whilst I’ve been gone , with updates on my e-commerce / retail consultancy business, launching my second business, and what my plans are for the next few months.

Give this episode a listen to hear how I plan to support you in your e-commerce businesses going forward.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

I always said I’d never start an E-Commerce business, but I lied…

Or atleast changed my mind.

In this episode I share my journey of launching my own ecommerce business Tinah, which is a mental wellbeing marketplace on a mission to change the narrative around mental health.

I fill you in on everything you might want to know from the inspiration behind the business, the challenges we’ve faced setting up, and the steps we took to bring the business to life.

If you’re looking to set up your own e-commerce business check out my FREE Start Your Ecommerce Business tool kit - a 30-day action plan for the first month of you launching your ecommerce business.

If you've enjoy this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button:

And if you’re interested in learning more and supporting TINAH you can find us here:

www.timeisnotahealer.com

https://www.instagram.com/timeisnotahealer

https://www.tiktok.com/@timeisnotahealer

You can also find my online course I followed to set up my e-commerce business right here: https://thecommerceclub.co/p/the-e-commerce-launch-pad

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

If your e-commerce conversion rate is less than 2% YOU ARE MISSING OPPORTUNITY TO SELL!

In this episode, I let you in on the most common reasons why why customers may not be converting on your e-commerce website - these are the challenges pretty much ALL of my clients face.

The main 3 reasons money is left on the table in an e-commerce business is because:

1. Website Merchandising Issues
2. Lack of a Sales Strategy
3. Confusing customer journey

I’ll be giving you solutions for all of these to help you improve your ecommerce conversion rates.

If you’re ready to get a bit more strategic about selling in your ecommerce business and converting more of your browsers in to buyers - get started with my convert more customers checklist, where I’ll give you 10 actions to take on your website in order to generate more sales. Download it here: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/conversionchecklist

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

So many people think drop-shipping is going to be their “get rich quick” scheme - but can it ACTUALLY make you rich?

IMO NO…

Dropshipping is for sure a popular business model in the ecommerce world, that has a lot of benefits, but it is not a get rich quick scheme and actually you could end up losing more money than you make... 

While dropshipping offers low risk and low barriers to entry, it is not a sustainable long-term plan if you don't build a brand around it. 

Many people approach dropshipping as a way to make quick money by selling trending products without being passionate about what they're selling. 

This leads to a crowded market, lack of customer loyalty, and poor customer experience. 

However, dropshipping can be done well by building a brand, white labeling products, and utilizing platforms like Amazon FBA.

I share more of my personal opinions on dropshipping in today's episode.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

Feeling like you’re ecommerce business if failing? Here’s why 👇

Back in 2020, e-commerce was booming - so many of your businesses were probably born in this time, and thrived… for a while...

Fast forward to 2024, and the market we are in is VERY different. Customer shopping behavior has shifted, the ecomony has changes and getting your business seen is much harder…

This means what you were doing back then, is NOT going to continue working now - you can't keep running your business the way you did the past few years.

If you want to survive and thrive in this new market, TRUST ME it’s time to pivot!

Out with the old (things that are no longer working for you) and in with the new (getting really clear on your strategy and how to optimize your customer experience to ensure conversions)

I share my take on this and give advice on you can pivot your business in this episode.

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

I outgrew my ecommerce mentoring business in it’s original format… And I’ve seen it happen to so many of my ecommerce founder clients as well.

In this weeks episode I am chatting about how important it is for your business to work for you as a founder, and what steps you need to take if you realize suddenly it’s not…

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram

If you’re running a Shopify or E-commerce business, you are going to want to watch this to learn how to use your data analytics to drive sales growth. 

I’ve worked with some of the world's biggest luxury fashion brands, and one thing they all have in common is the use of key performance indicators such as conversion rates, traffic, average order value, and return customer rates in their future sales and marketing strategies.

By analyzing these metrics, e-commerce business owners can make better-informed decisions that lead to improved performance and increased sales. 

Learn more about how to use the data in your e-commerce business here! <link to https://thecommerceclub.co/p/step-up-your-sales>

If you've enjoyed this episode please make sure to hit that subscribe button :)

Incase you just stumbled across this episode and we haven’t met before let’s get formally introduced here: www.itssophiebiggerstaff.com

If you’re an e-commerce business owner looking for support I host my online courses designed for you here: www.thecommerceclub.co

For more content like this follow me on socials:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/itssophiebiggerstaff

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@itssophiebiggerstaff

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-biggerstaff-retail-consultant/

Subscribe for free business resources: https://itssophiebiggerstaff.myflodesk.com/instagram