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

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

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

This week's guest is Andrew Busby, renowned retail analyst and media contributor, founder of Retail Reflections, and author of "Harry Was Right All Along”. Andrew challenges the notion of true loyalty in retail and whether it even exists in a cost-of-living crisis. He expands on the changing nature of consumer behaviour, and how any misstep from a brand – from pricing to location, to marketing – can result in a mass exodus of formally “loyal” customers. We also talk about the concerning trend of greenwashing within the retail industry, where brands claim to be sustainable, but their actions t ..read more

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

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

Join us on a fascinating journey with Lucy Jeffrey, the founder of Bare Kind, as we peel back the layers of her journey from the banking sector to the e-commerce world. Lucy is a beacon of inspiration, demonstrating the power of entrepreneurial spirit and a steadfast commitment to conservation and sustainability. Lucy Jeffrey started her venture with a mission to give back to the environment and animal conservation. Initially selling reusable straws and recycled tote bags, Lucy's vision evolved into something much bigger. She honed in on the sock market, specializing in gifting socks, and inc ..read more

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

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

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