Elpha’s Post

Chaos. Often Founders don’t know when to call it a day. Why would they? They’ve poured their very being into this thing and it defines everything they are. But, like Rod Stewart’s haircut, they are often stuck in an era that brought success, doing things they used to do, saying things they used to say. Leaving the organisation below unprepared for the void as the very ‘brand’ walks out of the door. So you get a lovely Brand Agency to tell you everything that’s already known (but in a modern way) as the organisation goes through an existential crisis. You restructure out the legacy inefficiencies and rebuild process (as Billy left too and he’s the only one who knew the system). You spend a huge amount of time and money on ‘change management’ - attempting to undo years of Stockholm Syndrome and Dogma. And if you’re lucky, very very lucky, you give new life to this amazing creation that was originally born of vision, bravery, passion, love, sweat and tears and it finds a new place in the Universe - evolved…. Or, the PE guys get impatient and embark on a revolving door of new starts & turn arounds, until it ultimately comes back to where it was - only dog eared and tired round the edges! #brand #founders #changemanagement #success

Here is Part 2 Woohoo! Many of the world's most iconic companies started with humble beginnings and have grown. 🚀 This LinkedIn post takes you on a nostalgic expedition, highlighting how these iconic businesses grew from their modest origins, laying the foundations for monumental success. It reminds us that greatness is not built overnight but through years of dedication, resilience, and constant adaptation to the ever-evolving business landscape. 💼💪 It is fascinating to see how these companies have evolved over time and how their products have changed. The first product of a company can often be a reflection of the company's values and goals. It can also indicate where the company is headed in the future. ✨ #business #linkedin #companygrowth #businessinnovation #innovation #productlaunch #success #companies

April marks my 4th business birthday, and what a journey it's been! Four years ago, I left my role as Buying Manager at Burberry to dive headfirst into the crazy world of entrepreneurship. Honestly, I can't remember the exact date I launched my business, but I sure know that it has come a long way from when I drafted my very first business plan. 📝 From scheduling my first discovery call to overcoming imposter syndrome and overcoming the fear of posting about my work on LinkedIn for the first time, it's been quite the process… What’s wild is that I didn't even have a business Instagram until about 8 months in. Most of my early clients came through word-of-mouth referrals or from people who saw my background on LinkedIn and wanted to tap into my experience from the big-name brands I’ve worked with, like Ralph Lauren and Burberry. Despite really knowing what I had to offer, I signed two clients within the first six weeks of updating my LinkedIn profile to “consultant”. I didn't have it all figured out back then - I just started helping founders with various tasks I knew I was good at, and once I started realizing so many of them had the same problems I started building them into a service offering. Four years on, my business is still ever-evolving - and it probably always will. And I'm okay with that because it means my business is growing with me. I've learned that embracing change is the key to longevity. I see so many people resist change and try to keep their business stuck in the past out of fear, when actually they have grown as a founder and the reason things aren’t working is because their business needs to grow as well. As I enter my 4th year in business, you can expect to see some changes from me. To celebrate this milestone, and before I discontinue some of my current services and offers I want to offer you something special to say thanks for being here part of the journey… For the next 7 days only, I'm giving new clients a 25% discount on ALL of my services, courses, and memberships! 💼📚 Some of them won’t be here this time next week, so if you want in, DM me and send me a HAPPY BUSINESS BIRTHDAY and I’ll share with you how to redeem and book. 📩 #businessconsultant #startupgrind #ecommerceexpert #ecommerceservices #femalefounder

My business is one year old today! 🌴🥂🍾 RevOasis (born Markevate before my buddy Wade Lowe steered me towards a catchier marquee) kicked off its journey a year ago. 🎉 Not only am I not homeless (surprise, Dad!) - I'm thriving with some incredible clients who've trusted us to spice up their growth and marketing strategies. And yes, it was a VERY rough first summer (wearing all the hats and figuring out how to actually DO sales and grow), but look at me now! 😅 I've technically been consulting for years. I previously would only take one client at a time. Diversifying has been so exciting - I've learned so much from others businesses, and share that experience across clients. I'm happy and doing some of the most fulfilling work of my life. 🚀 Next Steps? Shift gears a bit - less grinding in the business, more growing on the business. Big plans are brewing, and I’m just getting started. Here's to 10 figures! 🥂🍾 Looking forward to more years, more growth, and maybe a little less of the summer scaries haha If you’ve been a part of this journey, drop a memory or a message. Love to hear how you've seen us change and grow! PS: I bought Markevate merch a week before we changed names, who else? 🙃😂 Fun Fact: Markevate stood for "Marketing Elevated", and RevOasis stands for "Revenue Oasis" #StartupAnniversary #FounderLife #RevOasis #BusinessGrowth #EntrepreneurJourney

At Pattern Brands, we’re here to help brands succeed and give entrepreneurs the exits they deserve. As someone who has spent their entire career in DTC, it’s hard to watch many consumer brands selling on unfavorable terms or shuttering altogether. While e-commerce growth is strong (projected to be $1.7T, or 21% of retail sales by 2027), Funding is still challenging to secure, which puts so many DTC companies in a tough spot - particularly those who have relied on this type of capital to continue growing their business. As Pattern Brands has matured as a portfolio company, we’re able to expand on the type and size of brands we acquire - from home goods to beauty, travel and beyond -  all while offering founders a flexible transition in which they stay on, advise, or move on to their next chapter. We’d love to connect with founders who are looking for a strategic exit. If this is you, or someone you know,  let’s connect: [email protected]

"Finding Success Together: How Couples Can Make Great Business Partners" Business is something that requires proper understanding between its team and its leaders. To maintain that understanding, it is very important to keep professional and personal life totally separate. We have some big, real-life, successful example Vineeta Singh (SUGAR Cosmetics) and Ghazal Alagh (Mamaearth). Their successful businesses speak a lot about personal and professional life balance. Before starting our business, Ludo Ventures Pvt Ltd, we set some ground rules: 1. Our personal disputes should never ever impact our business activities. 2. In business, we will work totally as founder and co-founder, keeping our husband-wife relation aside. 3. After reaching home, we will leave office stress at the office. 4. We will never let there be a communication gap. 5. During a business disagreement, we will give time to each other to speak out our opinions. It's not always easy, but it's doable. - Shikha, Co-founder of Ludo Ventures Pvt Ltd." #startup #business #partnership #relations #sales #marketing #hiring

Self-Employment Day 46: I'm so grateful for how extremely well things are going; it's only mid-November and I've already exceeded my goal by 110%. In October (my first month of being self-employed), I exceeded my goal by generating 165% of the expected revenue from my on-demand design service. For those who do not know, my business consists of two main units: an on-demand design service and an online store. The online store isn't live yet. Previously, I sold products on Amazon as an FBA merchant, but that venture faced challenges 🙈 In addition, I've had issues with my trademark, "The Unicorn Work" (yes I said a trademark not a brand, as it's still gaining value). So I made a strategic plan to tackle these issues. In short, both business units should generate revenue from day one. However, since my first week of entrepreneurship, I've been extremely busy with new clients 💃 Looking back, I remember feeling miserable and unhappy last year. Eventually, burnout overwhelmed me, but leaving my tech job was definitely the best decision I ever made. Now, it feels incredibly rewarding to regain my confidence and show the world that I am not only a hella skilled designer, but also a resilient individual 🦄 I wish I could share the joy I feel each morning as I wake up and truly feel the breath of a new day. At night, I go to bed feeling tired, yet satisfied with the day's work. I wish I could share my sunshine with you and show you how fulfilling it is to own your success. After all, we are the designers of our own lives. Sadly, external factors often cloud our minds and limit our potential. To whoever you are who isn't feeling great right now, I want to remind you that you have done great. You are more than enough. If your environment doesn't recognize and appreciate you, take a break and put yourself first. ... And thanks to everyone who believes in me ❤️  P.S. You'll get a special discount on this adorable disco ball when my shop goes live. #entrepreneurship #smallbusinessgrowth #creativeentrepreneur #womeninbusiness #designerlife

2023 was a really tough year for me personally, bookended by the death of my favourite aunt at the start and then my brother at the end. What has this got to do with business? Well I am often asked what makes a start-up succeed? The idea? The tech? The GTM? I would say a large proportion of success is driven by having a aligned & adaptable management team that supports one another.  I have been extremely fortunate in my career to have three stellar female co-founders - all of whom picked up the phone when they heard my news and continue to be supportive to this day.  Each one is totally different from the other and are incredibly talented entrepreneurs. Charlotte Semler was my first and we learnt a lot together, a true marriage with a lot of love and respect (thankfully Chris West was ok with this!). We didn’t always approach things in the same way, but we definitely had the same goal and combining our ideas usually made them stronger. I often think if we launched Myla in 2010 rather than 2000 we would have built an incredibly different company!  Susan Rose and I worked together for years on & off and it was a complete joy to build Zinc with her & stephen Rose (a real husband-wife team this time!). We knew the tech we were building would totally disrupt the market, and as Susan and I were both on our second businesses, I think we relaxed into it & made sure we had fun on the way (and we still do!). Taking time to enjoy what you are building is important. In fact, I think we had some of our best ideas after a few margaritas! Last but not least, I'm now working with the uber-dynamic & gracious Laura Elvin who is a whirlwind of sharp observations and frank talking. The great thing about Laura is that we learn off each constantly and pushes me to do things I would otherwise shy away from. All three have made me into a better person so I thank them for that!

Navigating Growth: As a business owner, I've been asked many times about the strategies that have propelled our growth journey at Merchgirls. The truth is, while there's no one-size-fits-all formula, a key principle has been our unwavering clarity on our destination. When I talk about clarity, I'm not just referring to having a vague vision board with some abstract goals. No, it's about having an unshakable belief in where we're headed – across all aspects of the business. Seeing the Bigger Picture From the very beginning, we painted a vivid picture of what Merchgirls could be. Not just in terms of financial milestones, but in the kind of culture we wanted, the quality of our designs, and the impact we aimed to make. It's like having a compass that guides every decision. Reverse-Engineering Success Once you have that crystal-clear end goal, it's much easier to reverse-engineer your path. This applies to everything, whether it's designing our products, fostering a vibrant team culture, or managing our finances smartly. A Non-Negotiable Belief Call it a non-negotiable belief or an unwavering commitment – it's a powerful driving force. This belief isn't up for discussion or compromise. It's what propels us forward, even when the path gets challenging. An Ongoing Journey Of course, the journey isn't linear or without its hurdles. But having that unyielding belief in where we're headed has been our North Star. It's what's kept us on track, enabled us to adapt to changes, and guided us through tough decisions. So, if you're looking for strategies to grow your venture, start with a clear sense of direction – not just a vision, but a deep-seated belief. It's this unwavering conviction that fuels every step, helping you navigate the twists and turns of business growth. #merchandise #womeninbusiness #founder #businesslessons #businessgrowth #merchgirls