eCommerce MasterPlan

Luke Bream is the Chief Executive and Co-founder at Valentte, sellers of organic skincare and home fragrance. Founded on a market stall in 2011, they now do £25 million via their WooCommerce store and some on Amazon.  In this episode, Luke shares the story behind Valentte’s journey from a small market stall to an 8-figure eCommerce brand, including the pivotal decisions that accelerated their growth. He explains why the team keeps marketing in-house, how they approach scaling paid ads and creative testing, and what founders must change in their leadership to grow a business from millions to $100M and beyond.  Hit PLAY to hear: How Luke scaled Valentte from a market stall to £25M in eCommerce revenue 🚀 The £50k loan + Facebook ads decision that triggered explosive growth Why Luke believes most brands should run their ads in-house (not with agencies) The creative testing strategy behind ad accounts running thousands of ads How Valentte gets 80% of orders from returning customers 🔁 Why AI changes the game for eCommerce execution — and what it still can’t replace 🤖  Key timestamps to dive straight in: [05:48] Breaking Business Growth Limits [07:54] "Scaling: A Personal Business Choice" [10:36] "Challenges in Scaling Growth" [14:31] Reducing Complexity in Manufacturing [19:16] In-House Creative: Key to Ads [20:17] "Ad Strategy Requires Scale" [23:34] "Embracing Iteration and Letting Go" [26:45] Listen to Luke’s Top Tips!  Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/588--- 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. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Katie Ward is the Managing Director at Microbz, a natural microbial solutions business. Founded in the 2000s and rebranded in 2024, they are on track for around £1million this year across their Shopify store & partner network.  In this episode, Katie shares how they’ve grown in one of the most competitive supplement markets by focusing on real customer pain points, building trust before pushing subscriptions, and expanding lifetime value through a “probiotic life” strategy. It’s a candid conversation about balancing mission and margin, managing multiple channels, and scaling sustainably without compromising your values.  Hit PLAY to hear: How Microbz scaled toward £1M in revenue without slashing their product range 💰 The smart way to introduce subscriptions after 2–3 purchases (and boost LTV) 🔁 Why starting with customer pain points beats leading with brand vision every time 🎯 How to balance D2C, Amazon, B2B & agriculture without losing focus 🌱 The unexpected growth upside of sticking to your mission over “expert” advice 🚀 How giving away a free cleaner can unlock a whole new category sale 🧴  Key timestamps to dive straight in: [03:58] Nature's Solution for Wellbeing [07:21] Microbial Fermentation and Herbal Remedies [11:32] "Managing Business Complexity Effectively" [13:29] "Healthy Soil, Nutritious Life" [18:25] "Probiotics: Educating and Building Trust" [20:36] Listen to Katie’s Top Tips!  Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/587--- 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. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Rich Chapple was previously the CMO at Gymshark and the CEO at THG Ingenuity, part of The Hut Group, scaling both companies to unicorn valuations. He is now the co-founder at The Growth Foundation, helping eCommerce and DTC brands grow the right way.  In this What Would You Do episode, Rich shares exactly what he’d do in his first 90 days as the new CEO of an 8-figure fashion brand. From finding the real “truth” in the numbers to sharpening strategy, building the right team, and focusing on profitable growth, this conversation is packed with practical guidance for any eCommerce leader looking to scale with clarity and control.  Hit PLAY to hear: The exact first 90-day plan for a new CEO stepping into an 8-figure eCommerce brand How to find the real “truth” in your numbers (and the costly mistakes most brands miss) The simple Where to Play / How to Win framework to cut complexity and drive growth Why most 8-figure brands are structured for survival, not scale — and how to fix it The hidden growth opportunity in CRM and customer insight most teams ignore 📈 A low-cost traffic tactic that can deliver 70–90% off media rates 👀  Key timestamps to dive straight in: [05:52] eCommerce Evolution and Increased Competition [09:19] "Defining Truth Across Business Metrics" [11:45] "Financial Analysis by GP Bands" [14:46] Strategic Alignment and Execution Framework [17:09] "How to Win with Strategy" [22:41] Scaling Strategy and Future Planning [25:39] "Developing Leaders Through Cross-Discipline" [28:33] "Testing Strategies for Business Growth" [31:29] Listen to Rich’s Top Tips!  Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/586--- 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. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ed Hamilton, Head of Growth at Seep and builder of their eco cleaning brand, explains how Seep turned Dragons’ Den buzz into a scalable £10M growth plan. He covers hero-product acquisition, balancing Meta ads with diversified channels, using the founder story in creative, and the CRM playbook for long repurchase cycles.

James Gurd, The Digital Juggler and Inside Commerce host with 20+ years in eCommerce, walks through replatforming in 2026. He covers building a proper business case, deciding when Shopify fits, mapping data flows to avoid integration chaos, hidden TCO pitfalls, and managing leadership alignment and team change. Practical, no-nonsense guidance for anyone planning a platform move.

A quick update from Chloe on what’s happening for episode 300 on our sister show Keep Optimising, AND how you can be involved.Get involved >> https://keepopt.com/300--- 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. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Amy Knight is the Founder at Must Have Ideas, a UK based eCommerce brands that sells problem solving household products. Must Have Ideas is a bootstrapped business, started with just £3,000 in 2018 that are now on track for £80million in 2026 via their custom in-house website.  In this episode, Amy shares how obsessive cash-flow control, customer-first thinking, and owning their tech stack helped Must Have Ideas scale at speed without outside funding. It’s a candid, practical conversation packed with lessons for eCommerce founders looking to grow sustainably, stay in control, and stand out in a crowded market.  Hit PLAY to hear: 🚀 How Must Have Ideas scaled from £3k to £80m without outside funding 💸 The cash-flow discipline that made bootstrapping possible at scale 🧠 Why building an in-house tech stack unlocked faster growth and better decisions ❤️ How customer experience became a key acquisition and retention lever 📦 The real reason they keep fulfilment, marketing, and CX in house 🌍 What finally made Amy decide it was time to expand beyond the UK  Key timestamps to dive straight in: [05:53] Building Trust Drives Customer Loyalty [08:19] "Customized Software for eCommerce" [12:40] Bootstrapping Success: Key Lessons [13:30] "Focused Cash Flow Management" [17:33] "Struggles with Space and Facilities" [20:10] Listen to Amy’s Top Tips!  Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/583--- 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. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Gareth Cummings is the CEO at eDesk, the AI powered customer support helpdesk for eCommerce. Used by eCommerce stores around the world, their client CarParts.com has just been named in USA Today’s list of America’s Best Customer Service 2026. In this episode, Gareth explains how eCommerce brands can use customer service, AI, and automation to increase conversion rates, improve retention, and turn support teams into profit-driving growth engines. Hit PLAY to hear: How faster replies can lift conversion rates by 50–60% ⚡ Why 30–40% of customer service queries happen before checkout 🛒 The real reason 9–5 support is killing your evening and weekend sales 🌙 How AI can handle half your support tickets without hurting CX 🤖 Where customer service hides revenue leaks, return drivers, and product issues 🔍 How top eCommerce brands turn support teams into profit creators, not cost centers 💰  Key timestamps to dive straight in: [03:25] "From Customer Service to CTO" [07:08] Pre-Sales Engagement Trends Expand [12:31] "AI, Automation, and Customer Focus" [13:11] Customer Loyalty Flywheel Impact [16:28] "Prioritizing Customer Experience Transformation" [20:41] "Automating and Enhancing Customer Support" [22:40] "Customer Service Empathy Practice" [24:19] Listen to Gareth’s Top Tips! [29:33] Episode sponsored by eDesk. To learn more, visit eDesk.com  Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/582  Episode sponsored by eDesk. To learn more, visit eDesk.com --- 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. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Melissa Moore is “The Retail Advisor”, and the host of The Retail Tea Break Podcast. She’s an expert in all things retail with over 25 years working with national brands, and she’s been a Rethink Retail Top Retail Expert for the last 3 years AND Named in Retail Technology Innovation Hub's Top 100 Retail Technology Influencers List for 2025.  In this What Would You Do episode, Melissa shares practical strategies to grow physical store sales in 2026, combining real-world retail experience with fresh insights from NRF in New York.  Hit PLAY to hear: Why physical retail needs to become a destination, not just a transaction 🏬✨ The “old-school” personalization tactic most retailers are forgetting (and how to bring it back) 🧠💡 The biggest in-store sales mistake brands make after opening a beautiful store 🚫🛍️ How store teams can double as your most powerful content creators 📱🎥 Simple ways to remove friction that’s silently killing in-store conversions ⏱️❌ What NRF 2026 revealed about AI, community, and the future of retail 🔮🤝  Key timestamps to dive straight in: [03:16] "Journey Through Retail Careers" [07:53] "Humanizing Retail Through Data" [12:10] "Stores as Content Studios" [15:53] "Redefining Retail Store Roles" [18:25] "Community-Centric Retail Trends" [19:46] Listen to Melissa’s Top Tips!  Full episode notes here: https://ecmp.info/581--- 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. Interested in being a Sponsor? go here: https://ecmp.info/sponsorAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Ian Sells, growth strategist scaling D2C brands via creator partnerships and TikTok. Sian Conway-Wood, behavioral growth consultant focused on consumer psychology and lifetime value. Ashu Dubey, CEO of Alhina AI building AI customer experience for e-commerce. They discuss TikTok as a top growth channel, practical AI uses for CX and revenue, why chasing trends hurts long-term growth, and trimming tech and tasks to boost ROI.