Offcuts

On this episode I’m chatting with David Franks, co-founder of Kick Game and building Zelph, and we’re discussing whether D2C exits are back. Which is topical as VGC just bought a controlling stake in Kick Game.We rewind and get a sense of those early days of Kick Game, the power of celebrity collaborations, why they bucked the trend during COVID and pushed hard on their bricks and mortar strategy, why they sold their stake to VGC and transition into their new roles and then we switch gears to talk about Zelph - a solution to that aims to help Retailers, Brands and Suppliers manage and scale their marketplace & dropship businesses.This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify.Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them out here.Checkout Factory here.Sign up to our newsletter here.

On this episode I’m back with Luke Hodgson, co founder at Commerce Thinking and High Cohesion and we’re tackling some hot commerce news - including the demise of the Humane AI pin, and Skims and Nike teaming up - then diving into a discussion about digital transformation projects. We define what a digital transformation project is, the reasons for embarking on one, how to approach such a project and the big question - is a legacy mindset the biggest challenge to success?This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify.Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them out here.Checkout Factory here.Sign up to our newsletter here.

On this episode we’re exploring whether new media is redefining the way we consume business news, with Sammi Cohen, Consumer Expert & Founder of Social Currency.I first came across Sammi via TikTok and was immediately impressed with her ability to distill interesting business topics. So I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk to her about how new media is reshaping the consumption of business news, the concept of 'business lore' and why it’s important for story telling, the rise of TikTok as a platform for B2B content, the launch of her Social Currency newsletter, the success of creator-led brands such as Chamberlain Coffee and whether the rebirth of Enron is real or a hoax?This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify.Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them out here.Checkout Factory here.Sign up to our newsletter here.

On this episode I’m chatting with James Collier - a Nutritionist, Author and Co-Founder & Chief Sustainable Nutrition Officer at Huel. On the back of his new book, Well Fed, we’re discussing whether we need to change the way we eat. We discuss the complexities of the food system, the ethical considerations of food choices, the importance of consumer education, the challenges of overconsumption, why misinformation is impacting food and what James would do if he was advising the UK Government on food policy today.This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify.Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them outhere.Checkout Factoryhere.Sign up to our newsletterhere.

In this discussion, Luke Hodgson, co-founder of Commerce Thinking and High Cohesion, shares insights on brand strategy after his recent time in LA. He delves into the cultural differences in business approaches between the US and the UK, highlighting unique challenges and opportunities. Luke emphasizes the power of saying 'no' as a strategic asset for brand identity, illustrating this with examples from successful brands. The conversation also navigates the complexities of brand integrity amid growth and the cyclical nature of fashion trends.

Rosie Duffy, Head of Customer Care at luxury brand ME+EM, and Hannah Bennett, Head of Digital at Paul Smith, delve into the power of post-purchase communication as a key driver of customer lifetime value. They discuss the importance of a robust tech stack and personalized customer experiences, emphasizing loyalty's connection to post-purchase strategies. The duo highlights the benefits of AI and optimized returns processes, showcasing how these elements can enhance customer satisfaction and retention.

On this episode I’m back with Luke Hodgson, co founder at Commerce Thinking and High Cohesion and we’re discussing his recent time in LA. We touch on the dynamics of operating in the US, the challenges and opportunities for brands and services providers in LA, the investment landscape compared to the UK, the cultural perceptions between the US and here and a side detour of reflections on the UK government's approach to business strategy. This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify. Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them out here. Checkout Factory here. Sign up to our newsletter here.

On this episode I’m chatting with Olly Hudson - D2C Growth expert, Founder of Soar With Us & For You Advertising, CMO of JAQ Group - and we’re discussing whether disrupter brands are dead. We start by exploring Olly’s journey to consumer, what it’s like to run an agency and work inside a brand. Then get into the meat of the conversation where we define what a modern disrupter brand looks like, whether creator or founder-led brands are the new disrupter and if one is going to disrupt - what does that look like in 2025. This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify. Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them out here. Checkout Factory here. Sign up to our newsletter here.

On this episode I’m back with my co conspirator and regular guest Luke Hodgson - co founder of Commerce Thinking and High Cohesion. Today we’re discussing the week’s most interesting commerce news. Which are: Klevu and Searchspring’s partnership, Yotpo sunsetting subscriptions and Adanol’s collab with Kendal Jenner. We then deep dive on Operator Experience. What is it and should it be your number one priority this year? This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify. Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them out here. Checkout Factory here Sign up to our newsletter here.

On this episode I’m back with my co conspirator and regular guest Luke Hodgson - co founder of Commerce Thinking and High Cohesion. Today we’re discussing the 2025 predictions report we (Factory) released last week. The report was a bit of a big dog, so we decided to tackle a few but not all subjects. However, I highly recommend you go and check out the full blog at Factory-digital.com So what did we talk about? The importance of community as a central element of brand strategy, the evolving nature of commerce platforms into customer experience platforms, the changing eCommerce technology landscape, the implications of AI adoption for brands, where we are with sustainability and why stock turn will be the most important topic in 2025. This podcast is brought to you by our mates at Shopify. Shopify is a key player that’s revolutionising retail by empowering unified commerce across online, offline, and wholesale channels. With one of the largest and robust ecosystems among commerce platforms, we’re excited to have them join us on this podcast journey. Check them out here. Checkout Factory here. Sign up to our newsletter here.