From Bedroom Startup to £15 Million: The Cheeky Panda Story with Chris Forbes
Chris Forbes is the co-founder at Cheeky Panda, leading the bamboo revolution selling toilet paper, period products, kitchen roll and more. Founded in 2016 they now sell via multiple international Shopify sites, and a plethora of wholesale and marketplace locations. Turnover is now £15,000,000 a year, and did I mention they’re a B Corp? In this episode, Chris Forbes reveals how The Cheeky Panda turned a bold eco idea into a £15M brand loved by customers and retailers alike. From smart scaling moves to making sustainability fun, Chris shares the mindset and marketing strategies behind their incredible growth. Hit PLAY to hear: 🚀 How The Cheeky Panda grew from a bedroom idea to a £15M sustainable brand 🧠 Chris Forbes’ biggest lesson: what to focus on (and what to outsource) when scaling 🌿 Why sustainability alone isn’t a USP anymore — and what actually sells now 😂 How a giant panda costume helped them win fans and supermarket deals 🛒 The secret behind their omnichannel growth across Shopify, Tesco, and more 💡 What it really takes to turn purpose into profit — and stay ahead of the competition Key timestamps to dive straight in: [04:24] "Sustainable Innovation with Purpose" [07:36] Expanding Bamboo Product Range [12:01] Supermarkets Prioritizing Sustainable Suppliers [13:47] Pricing and Quality Drive Success [16:12] "Cheeky Panda: Fun & Friendly" [21:14] Channel Strategies: Pros and Challenges [22:36] Listen to Chris’s Top Tips! Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/569---
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Growing a Fashion Brand: Lavender Hill’s Approach to PR, Sustainability, and Profitability with Isobel Ridley
Isobel Ridley is the founder at Lavender Hill, a women’s fashion brand focused on ethically made luxurious staples. Founded in 2013 then now sell exclusively via their Shopify store, turning over around £500,000 a year. In this episode, Isobel shares how she built a profitable, sustainable fashion brand by focusing on what works—core products, smart use of AI, and old-school PR that still delivers. Hit PLAY to hear: 💡 How focusing on fewer products made Lavender Hill more profitable 🧠 The clever ways Isobel uses AI (including ChatGPT!) to run her store smarter 🛍️ Why she ditched 3PLs and still fulfills every order in-house ✂️ The surprising reason she cut product lines and boosted brand value 📰 How traditional PR still drives sales in a digital-first world 🔍 The data-driven mindset behind every major business decision she’s made Key timestamps to dive straight in: [04:50] "Sustainability Over Excess Colors" [07:03] In-House Operations Over 3PL [10:40] "Shifting PR: Magazines to Influencers" [14:25] Early Struggles of a Business [18:05] "Adapting Strategies for Profitability" [21:17] Listen to Isobel’s Top Tips! Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/568 ---
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Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
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How MUD Jeans Built the World’s First Circular Denim Brand — and What eCommerce Can Learn from It
Bert van Son is the founder at MUD Jeans, the first and only circular jeans company in the world. Founded in 2012 they’ve been a BCorp since 2013. Selling via their Shopify store, their own store in Amsterdam, and over 250 stockists across Europe. In this episode, Bert shares how MUD Jeans is redefining what it means to be a sustainable fashion brand — from leasing jeans to turning old denim into new. Get ready to learn how circular design, smart eCommerce strategy, and genuine purpose can work together to build a brand that lasts. Hit PLAY to hear: 👖 How Mud Jeans turns old denim into brand-new jeans — and makes it profitable 🌍 Why sustainability alone won’t sell (and what really drives customers to buy) 🔄 The smart circular model that keeps customers coming back 💡 How mindset-based segmentation helps Mud Jeans target the right audience ⚙️ The surprising tool helping them sell secondhand jeans online 🚫 Why ultra-fast fashion is hurting us all — and what eCommerce brands can do differently Key timestamps to dive straight in: [03:51] "Intern Turnover and Inspiration" [08:22] Leisure Jeans: A Global Sensation [13:23] Customer Sustainability Segments [15:55] Fast Fashion's Economic Impact [17:21] Tech Hubris & Brexit Concerns [18:44] Listen to Bert’s Top Tips! Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/567---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
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What Would You Do if growth at your eCommerce brand has stalled? – with Janis Thomas
Janis Thomas is an eCommerce & Subscriptions Expert, recently named in the Top 100 UK Marketing Influencers list. In this episode of the special WWYD? (What Would You Do?) series, Janis answers the big question: What would you do as a Head of eCommerce tasked with massively improving operational efficiency — especially when growth at your brand has stalled? Hit PLAY to hear: 🚨 Why stalled growth is actually a wake-up call for your eCommerce brand 🧾 The ruthless audit every Head of eCom should do on costs, teams & tech ⚡ Quick wins that free up cash and time to spark new growth ⏳ How to stop wasting hours on admin & turn time into your secret weapon 🤖 The smart way to use AI for creative output (without losing your brand DNA) 🎯 Why an inspiring vision — not cost-cutting fear — gets teams on board with change Key timestamps to dive straight in: [04:42] Streamline and Audit for Growth [07:19] Evolving Design and Business Practices [12:31] Strategic Prioritization for Quick Impact [15:46] Experimentation Drives Business Improvement [19:18] Team Meetings: Encouraging Experiments [22:28] Focus on Brand Consistency [26:22] AI Design Needs Specificity [28:17] Listen to Janis’ Top Tips! Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/566---
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Multi-Channel eCommerce Made Simple: Lessons from Charles Bentley’s £30M Strategy with Andrew Steel
Andrew Steel is the eCommerce Director at Charles Bentley. Founded 160 years ago as manufacturer of chimney sweeping brushes, they now balance selling brushes and cleaning products via wholesale and dropshipping to some of the UK’s largest retailers and running their own home and garden eCommerce store. Annual Sales are now at around £30million across the group. In this episode, Andrew shares the hard-won lessons behind managing 20+ sales channels, mastering stock control, and scaling a heritage brand in today’s competitive eCommerce landscape. Hit PLAY to hear: 🎯 How Charles Bentley sells on 20+ channels (without going crazy) 📦 The clever stock-splitting system that prevents overselling nightmares 🧹 Why cutting SKUs from 1,300 to 600 actually boosted growth 📊 How Andrew uses data, weather trends & search terms to forecast sales 💸 The truth about price scraping & keeping prices consistent across marketplaces 🤝 Why fractional experts can be your secret weapon for eCommerce scaling Key timestamps to dive straight in: [03:57] Optimizing Retail Channels for Growth [07:44] Stock Management and Channel Optimization [12:08] Challenges in Retail Price Control [16:00] Evolving Expertise Through Technology Partnership [16:57] Longstanding Trusted Business Partnership [23:16] eCommerce Challenges and Recovery [24:54] Expanding Charles Bentley's European Market [25:35] Listen to Andrew’s Top Tips! Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/565 ---
Download our ebook... https://ecmp.info/ebook 500 Tips to Increase Your Profits
Get all the links and resources we mention and join our email list at https://ecmp.info
Love the show? Chloe would love your feedback - leave a review here: https://ecmp.info/review or reply to the episode QandA on Spotify.
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Trying to work out how to acquire more customers? Need to improve customer retention? Or just looking for some reassurance you’re on the right track? That’s what the eCommerce MasterPlan is here for. Every week we interview an e-Commerce business person (owner, manager or marketer) with a fascinating insight into successful online retailing. Their business might be a UK mail order retailer, an online-only store from Australia, or a brick and clicks business from the USA – but every one of them is doing something we can all learn from. Many of our guests are using Shopify & Klaviyo, but we also have guests using Wix, Bigcommerce, Woocommerce, Omnisend and Magento. So you're sure to find an episode that directly helps YOU.Listen for advice on what to do next, the reassurance you’re heading in the right direction and all the inspiration you need to grow your eCommerce business without losing your life in the process!
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