In today’s episode we talk to Mike Smith, the Founder of Zero Co.Zero Co, are, in essence the ‘milk man’ meets cleaning supplies. They exist to reduce single-use plastic by selling refillable “forever bottles” that customers order online. After being delivered to your door, customers simply empty the contents of the refillable pouches into the dispensers and send back the pouches, for free, to be re-used…putting an end to single use plastic once and for all!During our conversation Mike lets us in on the story behind his business, how he came up with the idea and the motivation that got things started. He also talks about the “milk man concept” and what effect “The War on Waste” had on his decision to start Zero Co. Mike also tells us about Zero Co’s successful Kickstarter campaign and how this process went down. We also talk about the creation of Zero Co’s beautiful packaging and how they utilise plastic puled from the ocean. Mike discusses 2020, the affect the pandemic had on his business launching and how many active users he currently has. And finally, we hear what’s in the pipeline for Zero Co and his advice to entrepreneurs putting their life savings into an idea, just like he did.For more information on Zero Co or our guest today, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guest, Mike Smith, for joining us. This is our final episode for season 2 of the Retail Wrap-Up Podcast for 2021 and boy, do we have big plans for 2022! (Including some personal plans as Maddy, the host of our podcast, heads off on maternity leave!)We’d like to take this moment to thank each and every guest who has been on an episode this season – the knowledge and advice you have passed onto our listeners, and indeed, the RetailOasis Team, is truly invaluable. And on the back of what has definitely been a challenging year, we wish everyone success during this upcoming holiday season and beyond into 2022 – May you all have your best foot forward as we enter the New Year!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -Zero CoMike Smith (LinkedIn)Zero Co (LinkedIn)Zero Co (Instagram)Zero Co (Twitter)Zero Co (Facebook)Zero Co (Youtube)

In today’s episode we talk to Abigail Forsyth, the Co-Founder and Managing Director of KeepCup.KeepCup are the pioneers of the international reusable coffee cup movement, who over their 13 years in their existence have become a household name and barrister approved in over 75 countries around the world. The business, started by siblings, Abigail and Jamie, was created with a simple idea in mind: keep the cup and use it again. Their idea solved the growing problem of single use packaging and the volume of waste entering the environment – and quite frankly, they couldn’t believe this gap in market hadn’t already been filled. During our conversation with Abigail she lets us in the motivation behind the brand’s creation and success, as well as how she and her brother pushed forward with their idea even after being turned down by manufacturers and designers in the creation phase. Abigail also talks to us about being the pioneers of durable and reusable products and how they deal with competitors and counterfeit products giving the reusable movement a bad name. We, of course, discuss the struggles and changes in 2020 and 2021, as well as the affect customers working from home has had on the business’s bottom line. Abigail also announces KeepCup’s latest product to launch, the KeepCup Helix and how this product still sits nicely within their product offering and ethos. And lastly, Abigail gives her advice to anyone looking to launch a brand, product or concept, and what’s in the pipeline for KeepCup.For more information on KeepCup or our guest today, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guest, Abigail Forsyth, for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -KeepCupAbigail Forsyth (LinkedIn)KeepCup (LinkedIn)KeepCup (Instagram)KeepCup (Facebook)KeepCup (Twitter)

In today’s episode we talk to Nicole Noye, the CEO at the Collective Wellness Group. The Collective Wellness Group are leaders in the health and fitness franchising world with such brands as Anytime Fitness and Xtend Barre under their wing. The group as a whole are passionate about health and aim to become the leaders in the health and wellness space by developing franchises which are disruptive in the Australia marketplace. During our conversation with Nicole she talks to us about the group, the brands under the umbrella and how her past retail experience has helped her be a successful CEO in a new category and given her the skills to manage franchisees. Nicole discusses how the past 2 years have re-shaped not only the Collective Wellness Group, but also the fitness industry as a whole, and how these newly acquired life lessons on the back of the pandemic are serving her, her team, and her franchisees. We discuss the importance of a “hybrid” strategy, where virtual and physical workouts are the new normal. And finally, Nicole talks to us about what’s next in the pipeline, and her advice to anyone looking to enter the retail game.For more information on the Collective Wellness Group or our guest today, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guest, Nicole Noye, for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -Collective Wellness GroupAnytime FitnessXtend BarreNicole Noye (LinkedIn)Collective Wellness Group (LinkedIn)

In today’s episode we talk to Daniel Bracken, the CEO at Michael Hill.Michael Hill is, of course, an iconic jewellery brand to the New Zealand, Australian and Canadian markets. In 1979, Sir Michael Hill and his wife Christine opened their first jewellery store with a simple yet ground-breaking vision: to make fine jewellery accessible to everybody. 40 years later, Michael Hill has more than 300 stores in three countries with a vision to continue this growth both in-store and online.During our conversation with Daniel we discuss the brand’s history, it’s fascinating creation, and what differentiates Michael Hill from other jewellery brands. Daniel also talks to us about their incredible year end results, what he puts this success down to and what changes were put in place to improve the P&L. Daniel also walks us through the strategies he and his team put in place in 2020 to cope with the Pandemic and how these strategies helped the in 2021 when he was forced to close stores yet again. We also discuss the huge brand transformation Michael Hill is currently going through and how its strong brand heritage has assisted in its international growth. And finally, Daniel talks to us about what’s next for the Michael Hill brand. For more information on Michael Hill or our guest today, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guest, Daniel Bracken, for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -Michael HillDaniel Bracken (LinkedIn)Michael Hill (LinkedIn)Michael Hill (Instagram)Michael Hill (Facebook)Michael Hill (Youtube)Michael Hill (Pinterest)

In today’s episode we talk to Blaise Witnish, the Chief Growth & Innovation Officer at Funlab.Funlab are Australia’s preeminent leader in hospitality-driven entertainment, dedicated to the creation, operation, management, and development of entertainment concepts across Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.The privately held company is the umbrella to Strike Bowling Bar, Sky Zone Trampoline Park, Holey Moley Golf Club, Archie Brothers, B Lucky & Sons, Juke’s Karaoke, Red Herring Escape Rooms, plus 4 new concepts currently in the work to be released in 2022!During our conversation with Blaise we discuss just what the Funlab team have been up to during the multiple lockdowns in 2020 and 2021 and how they used their downtime to grow, innovate, and plan out their future strategy. Blaise also talks about the business’s sale to private equity firm TPG, the timing of the sale and how this changed the business. Blaise also discusses how consumers are moving towards experiences over “things” and how Funlab plan on utilising this shift once businesses can reopen. Plus, we talk about the partnership with US hit tv show “Holey Moley”, how this opportunity came about and what’s next for Funlab.For more information on Funlab or our guest today, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guest, Blaise Witnish, for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -FunlabStrike BowlingSky ZoneHoley MoleyArchie BrothersB. Lucky & SonsRed HerringJuke's KaraokeBlaise Witnish (LinkedIn)Funlab (LinkedIn)

In today’s episode we talk to Peter Krideras and Steve Kulmar, the Co-Founders of Releaseit.Releaseit is a centralised marketplace for all things rental, that connects people and businesses with all sorts of items for all kinds of occasions and jobs. The business exists off the back of the ever-present and ever-growing global shift in consumer behaviour and the heightened demand for recommerce in the circular economy. This new way of “consuming”, allows consumers to rent out items they already own to access a new revenue stream. And as for businesses, this is the new way of connecting with customers and the community through a new more sustainable avenue.Normally, Steve sits on the opposite side of the microphone, but today Pippa and Maddy are interviewing Peter and Steve, the co-founders of Releaseit, to understand where the business concept came from and where it’s going. RetailOasis worked closely with Peter on the development, including understanding the consumer profiles through to taking the concept to market, and we are beyond excited to be a partner of the enterprise – and not just the consultant. During our conversation with Peter and Steve we discuss where the idea for Releaseit came from and what the motivation behind the creation was. Peter discusses how he partnered with Steve and RetailOasis to get the idea off the ground and Steve lets us in on why after years on the consultant side he decided to move into the start-up, development, and investment realm. Steve and Peter also talk about how Releaseit plays into the circular economy, how the business model works and what consumers can expect to rent from Releaseit.  We also hear about Releaseit’s very successful first capital raise and what the process was of getting investors on board with such a new and unheard-of concept. Peter also dishes on the big name brands already on board and what’s next for Releaseit.For more information on Releaseit, our guests today or how RetailOasis can get your start-up off the ground, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guests, Peter Krideras and Steve Kulmar, for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -ReleaseitPeter Krideras (LinkedIn)Steve Kulmar (LinkedIn)Releaseit (LinkedIn)Releaseit (Instagram)Releaseit (Facebook)Releaseit (Twitter)Contact RetailOasis Here

In today’s episode we talk to Rob Fisher and Dave McLaughlin, the Co-Founders of Bodd. Bodd is a rapidly growing scanning and data company homegrown in Australia. Founded in 2013, Bodd has been developing 3D body scanning technology with leading Australian academic institutions such as UTS, RMIT, Swinburne and Deakin.Bodd aims to empower retailers and merchants to change how they capture measurement, body, and sizing data through an integrated suite of technology that can be tailored for any business.Their focus is to provide the richest set of body data on individuals that ultimately the consumer can control. It is up to each user to grant explicit permission for merchants to access their body data derived from a Bodd Scan. With permission from the consumer, Retailers can then offer hyper tailored experiences to Bodd consumers, leveraging the wealth of data captured from one single scan.During our conversation with Dave and Rob we discuss the backstory behind the creation of Bodd, including their motivation and key partnerships currently at play. The guys also discuss the key learnings that came up when launching in South East Asia and how this wisdom continues to serve them. We talk about sustainability in the fashion and apparel industry and Bodd’s role in making a difference. Plus, we hear about Dave and Rob’s plans for Bodd’s future.For more information on the Bodd technology or our guests today, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guests, Rob and Dave, for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -BoddRob Fisher (LinkedIn)Dave McLaughlin (LinkedIn)Bodd (LinkedIn)

In today’s episode we talk to Anna Carrabs, the CEO of well-known Australian lifestyle and furniture company, King Living.King has long been a household name, known for its strong modern design and customer service, but its humble beginning as a foam furniture company selling out of Paddy’s markets is truly a story to hear. King now have locations across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and China, with big plans to continue their global expansion in 2022.During our conversation with Anna, we discuss what she believes differentiates King from other furniture businesses in Australia and why their loyal customers keep coming back. She also talks about the struggles King faced during 2020 and how she worked with her team to pivot the business towards success and how the past 2 years have re-shaped the business for continued success and global expansion. And finally, Anna lets us in on King’s plans for the future.For more information on Anna or King Living, please see the show notes for this episode. Thank you to our guest, Anna Carrabs, for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -King LivingAnna Carrabs (LinkedIn)King Living Virtual ShowroomKing Living (Facebook)King Living (Instagram)King Living (YouTube)King Living (Pinterest)

In today’s episode we talk to Domm Holland, the Co-Founder and CEO of Fast.The Aussie founded checkout start-up, Fast, allows e-commerce businesses to offer an Amazon-style one-click checkout to their customers. They have simplified the checkout process which allows customers to purchase from stores without repeatedly entering their personal details. By speeding up the checkout process, both the consumer and the business benefit.Since its creation in 2019, Domm has grown his team from 2 people to 235. And even during a pandemic he has raised over $124 million via 3 rounds of funding. Fast is clearly undergoing an accelerated period of growth, which Domm puts down to the increasing universal need for a simple and secure product, that’s easy for all consumers to use and merchants to adopt.During our conversation with Domm, we discuss:His motivation for creating Fast and how this business has evolved since its inception in 2019;How the technology works for both the merchant and the customer;Domm’s previous business endeavours and how this experience has helped shape the success of Fast;How the partnership between Afterpay’s Nick Molnar and Fast came about;What makes Fast different from other fin-tech offerings already in the market;The rapid growth Fast is going through and how Domm has dealt with the ‘growing pains’;The fundraising process Fast has been through and what their plans are for using the funds;Domm’s advice for fin-tech start-ups;And, finally, what the future holds for Fast.For more information on Fast and our guest today, please see the show notes for this episode.A huge thank you to Domm for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!- SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE -FastDomm Holland (LinkedIn)Fast (LinkedIn)  Fast (Instagram)Fast (Twitter)

In today’s episode we talk to Greg Schwartz, the COO and Co-Founder at StockX.StockX is proud to be a Detroit-based technology leader focused on the large and growing online resale market for sneakers, apparel, electronics, accessories, and collectibles. StockX's powerful platform connects buyers and sellers of high-demand consumer goods from around the world using dynamic pricing mechanics. This approach brings unparalleled access and transparency powered by real-time data that empowers buyers and sellers to determine and transact based on fair market value. StockX boasts over 30 million average monthly users and a lifetime gross merchandise value of US$3.8B.The StockX platform features hundreds of brands across verticals including Jordan Brand, adidas, Nike, Supreme, BAPE, Off-White, Louis Vuitton, Gucci; collectibles from artists including KAWS and Takashi Murakami; and electronics from industry-leading manufacturers, Sony and Microsoft. Founded in 2016, the company employs about 1,000 people in 13 offices and authentication centres around the world, and facilitates sales in more than 200 countries and territories.In the five years since StockX was created, it has become a leading marketplace that lives at the nexus of sneakers and e-commerce. Last month, it raised an additional US$255 million in funding, bringing its valuation to $3.8 billion. During our conversation with Greg, we discuss:The motivation behind the business’s creation and how they have evolved over time;How the technology works for both the buyer and the seller and why shoes have become an investment, not just a fashion statement piece;Why StockX chose to open in Australia, and more specifically why in Melbourne + their plans for further locations and concepts in Australia;What StockX’s Global Growth Plan includes and the effect 2020 and the pandemic had on the business;How StockX’s creators got investors on their side on day 1, and continued the support during their most recent fundraising journey;We discuss their relationships with celebrity investors, such as Mark Wahlberg and Eminem;And, finally, what the future holds for StockX.For more information on StockX and our guest today, please see the show notes for this episode.A huge thank you to Greg for joining us. We hope you enjoy this conversation!SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:Click below to learn more about Greg and StockX:StockXGreg Schwartz (LinkedIn)StockX (LinkedIn)  StockX (Instagram)StockX (Facebook)StockX (Twitter)