Doubling Sales in a Year as a Fashion Brand with Stacey Grant-Canham, Black & Beech (episode 458) | by Chloe Thomas | Oct, 2023

Stacey Grant-Canham is the creative director and founder of Black & Beech, a feminist fashion brand. Founded in 2016 they sell via their Shopify site. Black & Beech is a 6-figure retailer and is currently doing double last year’s sales.

Stacey got into eCommerce during her maternity leave in 2016. She noticed teething jewelry worn by her friends but found the designs unappealing, so she started making her own. With her husband’s help, she set up a basic WooCommerce website. Demand grew, but she struggled to keep up.

Around 2017, amidst political events like Brexit and the Women’s March, her feminist and political views intensified. She wanted to create a slogan t-shirt fusing motherhood and feminism. She designed one with an illustrator, featuring the slogan “A mother’s place is in the resistance.” Stacey decided to donate £5 from each sale to a UK charity supporting abortion rights. The response was positive, inspiring her to expand her clothing line. She transitioned to Shopify and shifted focus from teething jewelry to feminist slogan t-shirts, solidifying her path in eCommerce.

Stacey’s journey at Black & Beech involves diverse product development. She enjoys creating products and expanding the range using proceeds from sales. The range spans from mugs and blankets to certified organic cotton t-shirts and knitwear. The common thread is conscious, purposeful, feminist-informed fashion. Ethical and sustainable considerations are central, driven by Stacey’s desire to offer meaningful products in contrast to shallow high street offerings.

Shifting from a side hustle to a full-time business took time and a change in mindset. Stacey’s background influenced her desire for financial security, but burnout and health concerns led to a change in perspective. She shifted her mindset to a more positive and optimistic outlook and made the commitment to Black & Beech full-time.

Stacey’s dedication, mental space, and increased focus on marketing contributed to the doubling of sales growth year-on-year. The decision was driven by a combination of timing, mindset, and improved capacity to manage and grow the business.

Transitioning from a part-time side hustle to a full-time business required a more serious approach and a focus on sustainable growth. Recognizing the need for a team to avoid burnout and scale operations, Stacey emphasized the significance of good people in business growth.

The realization that scaling involves efficient systems also led her to reconsider using a fulfillment center. Amid COVID, Stacey moved away from it and engaged her husband and a freelancer for order packing. Stacey eventually hired the latter as a permanent employee.

As the team solidified, they expanded by hiring two more flexible warehouse assistants for the upcoming busy season.

Gearing up for the upcoming Q4, Stacey is focused on refining systems and processes to prevent challenges faced during previous years.

The holiday season accounts for a significant portion of their business, and they want to ensure a smooth customer experience. Learning from past experiences, they’re planning improvements and closely monitoring growth trends. It starts with their upcoming October launch, which Stacey hopes can provide crucial data for informed decision-making.

Without the sponsors the podcast wouldn’t be possible — please do check them out:

Connected Sourcing are your trusted procurement partner, specialising in connecting small and medium sized businesses with suppliers in Asia. Our services include product design, product sourcing, freight forwarding and legal services.

Contact us today for a Free 1-hour Consultation to see how Connected Sourcing can assist your business by increasing your bottom line and helping you grow.

Is your eShop facing hiccups? Want to boost sales without the tech headaches? Do you need clarity on what would best suit your eShop’s needs? Or you need a tech partner to help with addressing your business goals. Zitec’s Continuous Improvement Services is your answer. With over 20 years in eCommerce, we’re the experts in Magento, Symfony, and WordPress. We don’t just maintain; we transform.

Hear it from the pros: The Director at Beko says we’re all about “professionalism and genuine commitment to success.” And Brico Dépôt? They’re raving about our “flexibility and predictability.”

For a limited time, we’re offering a 15% discount on our tailored maintenance packages. But this is not about our maintenance packages as much as it is about your actual requirements. Let’s have a chat! Tell us what you’re looking for, and you can choose from our predefined package or we can provide tailored solutions to address your pain points. Don’t miss out on a partnership that’s proven to drive results. Ready to elevate your eShop game?

Click to access

Like to be a guest? Apply Here ‘

Filed under: 2023 Episodes, eCommerce MasterPlan Podcast, Fashion and Accessories, Over 7-figure Turnover eCommerce Podcasts, Shopify Podcasts
Tagged with: