Ladies Who Launch

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Nicola Elliott, founder of NEOM, takes us behind the scenes of building a brand in a category that barely existed when she started. From the early days of product creation to scaling to 150 products, 150 employees, and £45M in annual turnover, Nicola gets into the mechanics of strategically building for long-term growth. We unpack the real decisions most founders agonise over: the benefits of taking investment versus staying self-funded, and the personal sacrifices that come as a direct consequence of business ambition.Beyond the numbers, this conversation digs into what makes NEOM genuinely stick, how Nicola has built a deep consumer-to-brand connection at scale, and perhaps more importantly, how she's designed the business around the life she actually wants to live. It's an honest, tactical conversation for founders who want to build something substantial without losing themselves in the process.In this episode, we cover:The journey of starting & building NEOMBuilding in a ‘unique’ category150 products, 150 employees, £45M in annual turnover Strategically building for long term growth, not paceBenefits of investment vs self funding Real life sacrifices as a consequence of business Creating consumer x brand connectionDesigning business around your lifeWe Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction00:43 Before Wellness Was a Thing03:41 Anxiety Sparking the NEOM Idea06:15 From Blends to NEOM08:27 First Products and Candles11:40 Green Lights to Quitting Your 9-514:29 Building the Right Team17:58 Creating a New Category23:11 Retailer Placement Challenges26:32 Sponsor Break: Starling Tools27:42 Scaling With Steady Growth33:33 Slow Growth Wins34:00 Realities of Raising Money35:50 Founder Lifestyle Questions36:58 Motherhood While Building a Business40:01 Sacrifice And Seasons41:50 Work That Feeds You43:06 Protecting Brand Identity47:32 Customer Moments Strategy49:06 Founder Role Today52:39 Realistic Wellness Positioning53:47 Future Growth And Collabs55:56 Rocket Round58:15 Curating Your Circle59:35 Patience Builds Brands01:00:34 Nicola’s Dream Collab 01:02:00 Finding A Mentor01:03:14 Founder Money Habits01:07:21 Financial Myths Debunked01:09:30 Profitability Over Hype01:12:23 Design Success Your Way01:14:55 Nicola’s Ideal Lunch 01:17:49 Wrap Up And Subscribe🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#AD Powered by  @StarlingBankApp  FOLLOW NICOLAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolaelliottneom/NEOM: https://www.instagram.com/neomwellbeing/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with Hanushka Toni, to unpack her journey from law to launching Sellier, the luxury handbag brand that caught the attention of Flannels and the moment her Jane Birkin auction went viral.She also gets candid about building a business alongside family, the realities of entrepreneurship no one talks about, and her bold move into feminine hygiene with JUICE, breaking taboos in real time.In this episode, we cover:How Hanushka transitioned from Law to luxury retailBuilding luxury handbag retailer, Selier Behind the Jane Birkin auction Effectively growing a business through social media Benefits of the Sellier x Flannels partnershipWhat people are getting wrong about entrepreneurshipIntroducing JUICE and taboos around feminine hygiene Whether you're a founder, a creator, or someone with a big idea and no idea where to start, this one is for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Hanushka 03:24 Building Sellier09:10 Creating Virality on Social14:12 Behind The Jane Birkin Auction20:50 Viral Marketing Playbook25:21 Behind The Flannels Partnership Expansion28:00 Navigating Motherhood & Ambition31:25 Introducing JUICE33:09 Handling Business Criticism37:58 Redefining Success40:18 Embrace The Cringe41:22 Rocket Round Advice🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW HANUSHKAHanushka’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hanushkaa/Sellier: https://www.instagram.com/sellierknightsbridge/JUICE: https://www.instagram.com/wearejuicers/ FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode of Ladies Who Launch is with Sophia & Cinzia, the powerhouse duo behind one of the UK's most-listened-to podcasts, The Girls Bathroom. From building a loyal online community from scratch to launching a sold-out live tour, this episode is a masterclass in building an audience through genuine connection and having fun while doing it. We get into the founding of their new venture rooms, what it really takes to build a team of women who are aligned with your vision, and because no Ladies Who Launch episode is complete without it, a Greek lunch moment that you absolutely need to hear. In this episode, we cover:How Sophia & Cinzia built their online followingLaunching The Girls Bathroom Building up to the live tourThe realities behind launching roomsWhy Sophia & Cinzia decided to build a team of womenA Greek lunch moment Whether you're a founder, a creator, or someone with a big idea and no idea where to start, this one is for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Sophia & Cinzia01:12 Where It All Began07:17 Launching Their YouTube Channel13:19 How They Got Management 20:14 Naming The Girls Bathroom22:22 Growth Through Lockdown24:07 Behind Recording The Girls Bathroom25:41 Behind The Live Tour30:03 Building The Vision For rooms34:53 Building An All Female Team 37:14 Navigating Rooms Critique40:45 Backing Themselves On The Jelly Vase44:55 Co-Founders and Friendship47:34 Future Plans for rooms49:32 Rocket Round 58:29 A Greek Lunch Moment🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW SOPHIA & CINZIA The Girls Bathroom: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlsbathroom/Sophia: https://www.instagram.com/sophiatuxford/Cinzia: https://www.instagram.com/cinziabayliszullo/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a viral TikTok moment to one of the UK's most beloved supermarket staples, this week on Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with Vivien Wong, co-founder of Little Moons, to unpack the real story behind building an iconic brand from the ground up. Vivien gets refreshingly honest about starting before you're ready (the 80% rule), protecting product quality under explosive demand, and navigating the noise to find the advice that actually moves the needle.Together, we dig into the sibling dynamic that powers the business, the nostalgia-first brand identity that made mochi ice cream a cultural moment, and what it really looks like to bring in investment and external leadership without losing what made you special in the first place. This one is equal parts strategy and soul and a masterclass in building a brand people genuinely love.In this episode, we cover:Building a career and brand foundation from scratchKnowing which advice to take and which to ignoreCreating the Little Moons brand identityManaging explosive growth with effect Bringing in investment without losing the soul of your brandIf you're a founder who's overwhelmed by the pressures of starting, this episode is designed to inspire you to start before you’re ready.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00:00 Introduction and Little Moons as a Family Favorite 00:03:08 The Inspiration Behind Starting Little Moons 00:07:06 The Challenges of Creating Mochi: Craftsmanship and Manufacturing 00:12:33 How Vivien's Finance Career Helped Launch the Business 00:14:40 Launching Little Moons00:16:07 Building the Brand; From White Label to Little Moons 00:19:31 Founding the Business as Siblings00:23:02 Breaking Into First Major Retail Partnerships 00:28:38 The Viral TikTok Moment and Managing Sudden Demand 00:34:13 Amplifying Virality and Managing Retail Logistics 00:37:07 Business Scaling Challenges00:41:07 Bringing in Private Equity and a New CEO after 12 Years 00:44:29 The Myth of Overnight Success vs. A Slow and Steady Journey 00:47:27 The Complexities of International Expansion to 38 Countries 00:52:56 Rocket Round: Non-Negotiables, Launch Moments, Daily Habits 00:58:37 Advice for New Founders01:07:38 Celebrating Success and Vivien's Gratitude🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#LadiesWhoLaunch #NeverFullyDressed #FashionFounder #BuildingABrand #CultBrand #FemaleFounder #BusinessPodcast #BrandBuilding #SlowGrowth #StartupStoryFOLLOW VIVIEN & LITTLE MOONSVivien’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevivienwong/Little Moons Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlemoonsmochi/Little Moons TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@littlemoonsmochiFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Space NK Miami trip went viral and this week we discussed everything that happened behind the scenes.In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with Jini Sanassy, Head of PR at Space NK, to unpack the influencer marketing strategy that turned one brand trip into one of the most-talked-about campaigns of the year. From the first mood board to the final metric, Jini reveals exactly how Space NK built an experience rooted in community, inclusivity, and creator relationships that actually convert.In this episode, we cover:How Space NK planned and executed the viral Miami Summer TripBuilding the perfect guestlistSelecting and integrating brand partnerships Myth-busting the influencer trip rumorsMeasurement and impact metricsWe Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 The Space NK Miami Trip That Went Viral01:59 Setting Campaign Goals03:26 Selecting The Guest List07:41 Myth Busting The Trip10:01 Partner Brands And Activations17:00 Creative Freedom Vs KPIs24:30 Measuring Success With EMV28:58 EMV Vs Sales30:07 Top Brands And Halo Moments 31:28 Addressing Media Backlash33:52 Space NK’s PR Team 37:00 Next Years Campaign Plans 43:14 Beauty Is Democratic48:12 What To Repeat & Refine50:44 PR Campaign Do’s & Don’ts🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW JINIInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/jinisanassy/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this weeks episode of Ladies Who Launch, Frederika, founder of the Luxury Mum Guide, joins us to unpack the motherhood identity shift that no one prepares you for and how she turned that gap in support into the ultimate family travel guide for luxury-minded mums. From navigating who you are before and after kids, to curating the world's best family-friendly experiences, this is the blueprint for building a community born from lived experience.In this episode, we cover:Why Federika built the Luxury Mum Guide from scratchThe support system mums actually needWho you are before kids vs. the woman you become afterCurating the world's best family-friendly experiences for luxury-minded mumsWhere Federika is taking the Luxury Mum Guide nextWhy maternity fashion is broken and what needs to changeWe Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Sunday Launch Intro00:57 Using Motherhood To Fuel Ambition02:29 Why The Mum Guide Was Needed06:03 Identity Shift and Work16:22 From Social Posts to Events19:31 Family-Friendly Venues In London21:11 Journey of the Luxury Mum Event Breakthrough24:01 Scaling Events and Brands28:03 Dream Collabs and Future Plans🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW FEDERIKAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/luxurymumguide_/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucy Aylen built Never Fully Dressed into one of fashion's most coveted cult brands; without investors, without chasing trends, and without ever optimising for virality.In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, Lucy shares the philosophy behind building slow, why she resisted the pressure to scale before she was ready, and how growing a fiercely loyal community from day one became the brand's greatest competitive advantage.From navigating the devastating business impact of COVID to knowing exactly when and how to grow a team, Lucy gives us the unfiltered blueprint for building a brand that lasts. In this episode, we cover:Why Lucy Said No To ViralityThe Power of Building SlowGrowing the Never Fully Dressed CommunityWhen & How To Build Your TeamSurviving COVID As A Fashion BrandBuilding Without InvestmentIf you're a founder who's tired of being told you need to move faster, raise money, and go viral to win this one's for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Lucy Aylen02:51 Never Fully Dressed Anti Viral Strategy07:52 Bootstrapped Ownership13:51 Building Through Customer Feedback20:10 Inclusivity and Sizing In Fashion29:11 Community Loyalty Lessons32:27 Small Team Big Energy33:38 Founder Role Evolution37:31 Motherhood and Boundaries39:50 Detaching From Business Drama45:19 Brand Identity to New Venture50:05 Advice for New Founders55:46 Work Life Blend Choices59:05 The Beyonce Topshop Moment01:00:03 Family First Routines01:04:46 Mum As Mentor🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.#LadiesWhoLaunch #NeverFullyDressed #FashionFounder #BuildingABrand #CultBrand #FemaleFounder #BusinessPodcast #BrandBuilding #SlowGrowth #StartupStoryFOLLOW LUCYInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lucyaylen7/NFD Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neverfullydressed/NFD TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@neverfullydressedFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Sarah Jossel, award-winning beauty editor, author, and presenter on This Morning, for an honest conversation about carving out a career in fashion and beauty when everyone's fighting for the same seat at the table.Sarah takes us from her early days breaking into the industry all the way to writing her book, Diary Of A Beauty Editor, and everything she learned (the hard way) in between. We get into what it really means to build authority and trust when the market is saturated, why authenticity is your most powerful career asset, and how to develop the editorial eye to know what's worth your time and what's just noise.We also go deep on beauty product red flags, the trends she's watching, and the questions every woman should be asking before she buys into the hype.In this episode, we cover:How Sarah broke into the fashion industry and navigated her way to the topBuilding credibility and authority in a saturated, competitive spaceBeauty product red flags and the trends shaping the industry right nowThe journey of writing a book and what it teaches you about your own voiceBeauty product guidance for pregnant women and women with cancerMyth busting beauty perfection standardsIf you're building a career in a crowded space and trying to figure out how to stand out this one is for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Sarah Jossel07:02 Making the Fashion to Beauty Shift11:34 Building Credibility in your Career29:07 Beauty Trend Red Flags31:18 Smart Spending on Beauty Trends34:54 Beauty and Confidence 39:07 The Journey of Writing a Book42:59 Approach to Functional Makeup 45:12 Filters and Fake Realities47:24 Finding Your Voice53:13 Clean Beauty Marketing Myths56:52 Clearing Up Clean Beauty Confusion59:36 Pregnancy and Cancer Beauty Product Guidance 01:03:36 Pressures of Perfection Myth01:13:33 Consistency Over Noise🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW SARAHInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahjossel/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sarah_josselFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sedge Beswick was ASOS's first ever social media hire back when social wasn't a career. What followed was an accidental leap into agency life that became SEEN Connects, a powerhouse she built, scaled, and sold for £24 million.But, this is more than an exit story. Sedge gets radically honest about the parts that don't make the highlight reel, founder loneliness, cashflow problems, navigating private equity while pregnant, and why breaking hustle culture was one of her best business decisions.In this episode, we cover:How Sedge became ASOS's first social media hire before social was a careerLanding big clients fast and managing the growth that followedInvestment, cashflow, and the realities of founder financeMotherhood, setting boundaries as a founder, and breaking hustle cultureWhat the £24M exit really felt likeOwning and creating balance as a successful woman in businessRedefining success, freedom, and what comes after sellingThis is a masterclass in building with intention, exiting with clarity, and redefining success on your own terms.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Sedge Beswick01:23 Working In Social Before It Was A Career06:17 ASOS First Social Hire 14:02 Social Media Becomes Marketing16:17 Accidental Agency Leap20:46 Landing Big Clients Fast23:43 Investment And Managing Cashflow30:06 Lonely Founder Rollercoaster33:20 Boundaries In Motherhood37:51 Breaking Hustle Culture41:20 Scaling Through Sales43:18 Lessons In Hiring46:03 Leadership vs Being Liked48:47 Private Equity and US Expansion51:01 Pregnancy Changes the Deal56:59 Selling The Business and Resetting01:00:32 Redefining Success and Freedom01:10:22 Final Advice and Wrap 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW SEDGEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sedgebeswick/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SedgeBeswickLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sedge-beswick/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josephine Philips is the founder of SOJO, the UK's first on-demand clothing alterations and repairs app. She started SOJO by manually cycling garments across London to validate the idea before raising £1.8M in pre-seed funding (backed by Depop's own founder), landed Forbes 30 Under 30, and opened a permanent concession in Selfridges.In this episode, Josephine gets brutally honest about the real journey: finding a tech co-founder early on,, the hiring mistakes that slowed her down, a six-week fundraising sprint that changed everything, and what it actually means to build with the end in mind.This is a masterclass in doing more with less, moving fast without breaking your team, and why representation in VC funding is still one of the most urgent conversations in entrepreneurship.What we cover:Finding a tech co-founder as a non-technical founderNavigating the fashion space outside of fast fashionFinding a niche in a typically crowded spaceThe timings and strategy of raising investmentThe stats around investment for Black WomenHiring and growing a team for your business, not following the status quoHow to build a B2B strategy without losing focusHow to SOJO x Selfridges Partnership happened The honest truth about representation in VCIf you're building something new or struggling to articulate why your idea matters, this one's for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Josephine, Sojo Founder03:17 The Tailoring Niche07:48 The Problem with Fast Fashion13:52 Validating The Business Idea16:59 Finding A Tech Co-Founder22:24 Launch Traction And Press23:40 Funding And Getting Investment29:48 Hiring Growing Pains33:01 Corporate vs Startup Hiring34:19 The Right Time For Funding 35:24 More Team Slower Progress37:09 Focussing On Your B2B Strategy38:11 Where Is Sojo Today?39:16 Hiring for Complementary Skills41:36 Testing Agility in Interviews43:43 Representation in VC Funding47:53 6-Week Fundraising Sprint50:57 Selfridges Partnership Breakdown54:49 Global Expansion Plans01:00:33 Build With the End in Mind🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW SOJOSOJO Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sojo.uk/Josephine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josephine__philips/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, we sit down with Georgie Coleridge Cole, Founder & CEO of SheerLuxe, the e-commerce and lifestyle powerhouse that redefined how women discover fashion, beauty, and culture online.Georgie opens up about the formative experiences that shaped her entrepreneurial mindset, how she stumbled into the world of e-commerce before it was cool, and the raw reality of building an incredible team from scratch while the industry was still figuring out what digital media even meant.What we cover:The honest story of building SheerLuxe and becoming an entrepreneur Discovering and navigating the world of e-commerceBusiness investment and financing. Why access to capital looks very different for women in business How to structure a strong team early and build a culture that scales Juggling life, business, and motherhood. The real, unfiltered versionIf you're a female founder navigating the chaos of building something bold, this one's for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introducing Georgie and SheerLuxe01:14 The SheerLuxe Mission and Platform Evolution09:16 Navigating Career Detours14:55 The Start of Building SheerLuxe21:56 Raising VC and Keeping Equity28:23 The Hardest Part of Leadership31:30 The SheerLuxe Team as the Brand41:52 Staying Relevant Through Change45:56 Editorial First, Monetise Later46:47 The £40M Sell53:09 Equity And Industry Stigma55:17 The Work and Motherhood Reality01:03:41 Life After the Acquisition01:07:19 Rocket Round 01:15:22 Best Piece of Advice 🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW GEORGIEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gcoleridgecole/SheerLuxe Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sheerluxe/SheerLuxe TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sheerluxeFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Ladies Who Launch, Rochelle sits down with Bernicia Boateng, makeup artists to the stars to go behind the scenes of her incredible journey, from the makeup chair to founding Enoléh, the hair brand redefining what it means for Black women to feel seen, celebrated, and authentic in the beauty space.In this episode, we cover:The mission behind Bernicia's work and why authentic representation in skincare and makeup matters more now than ever beforeWhat self-belief actually looks like in practice The beauty and power of women wearing wigs and hair extensions, and why it's so much more than aestheticsThe behind-the-scenes of building Enoléh, the team, the challenges, and the dreamWhether you're a founder, a dreamer, or someone who's been holding back, this one is for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction to Bernicia 02:05 From makeup to wider mission06:22 Gaining confidence 11:25 Building repeat customers and loyalty13:56 Why wigs matter20:45 Building a fashion forward brand25:42 Launching with a business partner31:51 The ‘Just Do It’ mission40:13 Smart category strategy41:22 Quality over ego43:30 Bernicia’s 2 year vision 45:58 Dream retail partners 47:23 Business non-negotiables49:30 Quickfire habits & lessons🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW BERNICIAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/berniciaboateng/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@realberniciaboatengEnoléh: https://www.instagram.com/enoleh/FOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.