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

In this week's episode of Ladies Who Launch, Penelope Cheshire takes us back to where it all began: an £8,000 leap of faith funded by selling her partner's Rolex, and a belief that premium hair extensions didn't have to feel exclusive or unapproachable. What followed was a masterclass in retail grit, from cold-pitching salons and building a team from the ground up, to navigating investment rooms where beauty wasn't taken seriously, and a partnership with Molly-Mae that sent the business into a different stratosphere. Penelope gets refreshingly honest about what actually happens during and after an exit, why she's channeling everything she learned into her next venture Killer Brush, and the moments that shaped her as a founder along the way.In this episode, we cover:The build of Beauty Works from an £8,000 Rolex watch saleBusiness growth through hair salonsFacing stereotypes against the beauty industryBehind the Molly-Mae partnershipThe story of the Beauty Works sellLaunching her new business, Killa BrushIf you’re a founder with an idea mixed with grit and determination, this episode is for you.We Are Ladies Who Launch! CHAPTERS00:00 Meet Penelope Cheshire, Founder of Beauty Works05:35 Beginning of Beauty Works 06:38 Selling My Partners Rolex to Start11:17 First Big Retail Order18:42 Rejected by Investors23:47 Creating a Premium Positioning29:28 Behind The Molly Mae Partnership35:49 Leadership & Letting Go47:38 The Truth Behind Leaving Beauty Works57:57 Private Equity Reality Check01:01:37 Starting Killa Brush01:12:12 Sharing Entrepreneurship Truths01:15:40 Rocket Round 01:22:57 Final Advice & Wrap🔔 New episodes every Wednesday — subscribe so you never miss a launch.FOLLOW PENELOPEPenelope’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/penelopecheshire/Killa Brush: https://www.instagram.com/killabrushofficial/Killa Brush Website: www.killabrush.comFOLLOW USInstagram: www.instagram.com/weareladieswholaunch/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@weareladieswholaunchYouTube: www.youtube.com/@Weareladieswholaunch

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

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

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

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