Buying and Beyond

2D AGO

S8 E7: Introducing... The Buyers Club

In this special episode, we’re doing something a little different. Before we dive into our usual conversations, we’re sharing something we’ve been working on behind the scenes for a while- the launch of The Buyer’s Club. This has been a long time coming, and it’s something we feel incredibly passionate about because it really started with our own experience. Throughout our careers in buying, we’ve always leaned on each other to sense-check decisions, share the highs and lows, and navigate what can often feel like a fast-paced and, at times, quite intense role. Having that support made a huge difference, and it made us realise just how valuable it is to have people around you who truly understand what you do. Created by buyers, for buyers, The Buyer’s Club is a members-only community designed to support those working in retail buying through connection, shared insight and ongoing inspiration. The idea came not only from our own experience, but also from speaking to the wider industry. After gathering feedback from over 400 retail buyers, it became clear that there was a real need for a space like this, somewhere buyers could feel more connected, supported and understood. Retail buying sits in a unique position within the industry. It’s a role that blends creativity with commercial thinking, requiring instinct, data, and the ability to make decisions quickly. It’s incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with its challenges and often, those experiences are only truly understood by other buyers. That’s exactly what led us to create The Buyer’s Club: a space where those conversations can happen more openly, and where buyers can learn from each other in a meaningful way. Inside the club, members have access to a range of content and experiences designed to support them in their roles. This includes curated trend edits and retail insights to help inform buying decisions, learning and development tools, and a calendar of key industry moments. Alongside this, there are opportunities to connect through networking events and monthly online catch-ups, as well as access to a private community space, behind-the-scenes podcast content and exclusive member perks. The Buyer’s Club is for anyone working in retail buying, whether you’re at the beginning of your career or have years of experience behind you. If you’re looking to feel more connected to others in the industry, stay inspired, and have access to tools and insight that support your role, this is exactly why we built it. If you’d like to join, you can find more details via our website: www.jointhebuyersclub.co.uk Three Key Takeaways Built on real buyer feedback The Buyer’s Club has been shaped by insights from over 400 retail buyers, ensuring it reflects the real needs, challenges and aspirations of those working in the role every day. Retail buying deserves its own space It’s a unique role that sits between creativity and commerce, with experiences that are often only understood by others in the same position — making a dedicated community more important than ever. Connection builds confidence At its core, The Buyer’s Club is about bringing buyers together — creating a s Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

42 min

MAR 18

S8 E6: Rental, Resilience & Redefining Maternity Fashion with Lyndsay Mason

In this episode, we sit down with Lyndsay Mason, founder and CEO of For The Creators, a business transforming maternity and early parenthood fashion through a sustainable rental model. What began as a personal frustration with the lack of stylish, practical options for expectant and new mothers has evolved into a comprehensive platform offering curated clothing rental, thoughtfully selected lifestyle products, and soon, a dedicated community space. Lyndsay shares her journey from global digital marketer for baby brands to building a fashion-tech rental business without a traditional fashion background. She talks candidly about launching with just a 10-dress capsule collection, navigating the operational complexities of rental logistics and technology, and scaling the model through wholesale partnerships with brands including Whistles, Hatch and Rykä. We explore the clear gap in the maternity and postpartum market, and how Lyndsay built a rental model from scratch to serve women during a significant life-stage shift. The conversation covers curating for bump-friendly and breastfeeding-ready styles, developing a membership model that enables unlimited wardrobe swaps, and the realities of inventory forecasting in a stock-heavy, capital-intensive rental business. Lyndsay also explains how the platform is evolving beyond clothing into beauty, wellness and lifestyle, driven directly by customer feedback and community insight. At its core, For The Creators is not only providing a more sustainable and stylish solution for modern parents, but also creating new customer acquisition channels for fashion brands - all while building a supportive ecosystem for women navigating pregnancy, postpartum and identity transformation. Three Key Takeaways Underserved life-stage markets present powerful opportunities. The maternity and postpartum period represents a major identity and lifestyle shift, yet many women feel unsupported by existing fashion options. Spotting these gaps can unlock meaningful and commercially viable business ideas.Rental requires operational depth, not just great branding. Success in fashion rental depends on sufficient sizing, variety and stock depth at all times. It’s a capital-intensive model that demands careful forecasting, utilisation management and forward planning.Customer feedback should shape evolution. From expanding into maternity wear to introducing beauty, wellness and lifestyle products, For The Creators has grown by listening closely to its community — building what customers genuinely need, rather than what the brand assumes they want. Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

43 min

MAR 11

S8 E5 Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honour with Janine McManus

This week we’re joined by Janine McManus - former fashion buyer, therapeutic coach and founder of We Beam - for a powerful and honest conversation about burnout, identity and redefining success. Janine began her career as a print designer before carving her way into buying at Burton, later spending formative years at ASOS during its meteoric rise. She shares what it was like to be part of that high-energy growth phase - the creativity, the camaraderie, the culture that made it feel like anything was possible. But alongside the highs, Janine speaks candidly about the pressures many buyers will recognise: relentless deadlines, constant decision-making, long hours and the quiet normalisation of stress and burnout. We explore what happens when the role you once loved no longer serves you - and how Janine made the brave decision to step away from retail to retrain in hypnotherapy and transformational coaching. Today, through We Beam, she supports individuals navigating stress, career crossroads and the search for something more sustainable. This episode is a thoughtful reflection on identity beyond your job title, the power of community in high-performance cultures, and why investing in people - not just productivity - is what truly drives long-term success. Three Key Takeaways 1) Your job title is not your identity In fast-paced industries like retail, it’s easy for your role to become who you are. Janine reminds us of the importance of reconnecting with your values, your energy and your personal definition of success - beyond promotions or prestige. 2) Culture and community fuel performance ASOS thrived in its early years because of belief, creativity and genuine team connection. When businesses prioritise people and belonging, productivity follows. When they prioritise output alone, burnout isn’t far behind. 3) Burnout isn’t “just part of the job” Retail buying has long normalised overwork and high stress. But accepting that narrative limits both people and businesses. Seeking support - whether through coaching, therapy or community - is a strength, not a weakness. Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

59 min

MAR 4

S8 E4: From Fashion Buying to Building Club Mera with Amy Rollings

In this episode, we sit down with Amy Rollings, a commercial leader with over 20 years of experience at some of the world’s most influential fashion and lifestyle brands, including Burberry, Michael Kors, Kurt Geiger and Pangaia. Amy takes us on her journey from a fashion intern in New York to building a deep foundation in retail buying, where she learned to understand product, customer behavior, and brand storytelling at scale. She reflects on her time at Burberry during its “golden years” under Angela Ahrendts and Christopher Bailey, and how being part of a culture-first organization shaped her approach to leadership and collaboration. Amy shares why she decided to leave the corporate world to co-found Club Mera, a non-alcoholic lifestyle brand redefining social drinking. She opens up about the realities of starting a business from scratch, building a brand ecosystem, moving fast, and embracing failure- as well as how her non-linear, “squiggly” career prepared her for the challenges and rewards of entrepreneurship. We dive into the skills and experiences that helped Amy succeed in buying and leadership roles, including the importance of negotiation, communication, and relationship-building. She highlights why being customer-obsessed is more important than ever, especially in today’s fragmented market, and shares how her early experiences as a “sponge” in retail buying set her up for long-term commercial impact. Along the way, she reflects on navigating redundancies, difficult work situations, and how these moments taught resilience, adaptability, and the confidence to take calculated risks later in life. Amy also talks about redefining social drinking with an inclusive, adult alcohol-free option, and how her experience across different categories, from fashion to lifestyle, helped her spot opportunities, understand consumer behavior, and turn ideas into actionable, successful business decisions. Three Key Takeaways Surround Yourself with the Right People - From mentors to co-founders and suppliers, Amy credits the people around her for shaping her success. The relationships you build will influence your career and business trajectory, whether you’re starting out, progressing into leadership, or launching your own venture. Your “Squiggly Career” is Your Superpower - Amy’s non-linear path, including redundancies and challenging work situations, gave her resilience, tenacity, and a broad skill set that prepared her for entrepreneurship. Embrace detours- they’re setting you up for what’s next. Take Action on Your Ideas - Ideas alone aren’t enough; execution is key. Amy emphasizes that age is just a number and it’s never too late to go after what you want. Surround yourself with expertise where needed, start small, and keep moving forward.Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

57 min

FEB 25

S8 E3: Podcast LIVE at Top Drawer - Getting started in AI with Hannah Adams

This week’s episode is split into two parts. The first was recorded live at Top Drawer back in January, where we sat down with Hannah Adams to talk about AI and what it really means for buyers and brands. The second dives into Hannah’s career journey from buyer to business transformation specialist and what that evolution teaches us about modern retail careers. Part One: Live from Top Drawer - AI in Retail Recording live brought such energy to this conversation. We wanted to strip AI back to what actually matters in day-to-day retail roles. Hannah shares her experience at ASOS, where she worked on implementing Microsoft Copilot, and breaks down how tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini can support buyers in practical ways. We cover real use cases, competitor analysis, trend research, product development ideas, supplier emails, negotiation prep and contract reviews as well as the importance of strong prompting and protecting sensitive business data. The key message? AI is an assistant, not a replacement. Your judgement and instinct still matter most- AI simply helps you move faster and think wider. Part Two: Hannah’s Career Pivot Hannah started her career at Evans within Arcadia Group before moving into buying roles at Topman during the High Street’s early 2000s peak. She shares the reality of international supplier travel- from Taiwan to Mauritius and the buzz of developing product and trading weekly sales. Her move into business transformation was driven by both lifestyle considerations and curiosity. She explains how transformation roles act as the bridge between technical teams and commercial teams, helping retailers adopt new systems in ways that genuinely work for buyers and merchandisers. Her journey is a brilliant example of how transferable buying skills really are — negotiation, stakeholder management and commercial thinking open far more doors than many realise. We finish by reflecting on what we all still love about buying: the thrill of sales, backing your instinct, building supplier relationships and seeing product come to life. Three Takeaways 1) AI won’t replace buyers - but buyers who use AI well will have an advantage. 2) Buying skills are incredibly transferable. Retail careers don’t have to be linear to be successful. 3) Whether it’s new technology or a new role, growth comes from experimenting, staying curious and backing yourself. Let us know what resonates most and whether you’ve started exploring AI in your own role yet. Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

56 min

FEB 18

S8 E2: From shop floor lessons to commercial confidence in FMCG with Dahlia Stroud

S8 EP2 From shop floor lessons to commercial confidence with Dahlia Stroud This week we’re joined by Dahlia Stroud, a retail and FMCG leader whose career spans Nestlé, Asda and Co-op, where she’s led commercial strategy, online trading and multiple buying teams (without ever officially holding the buyer title). Today she hosts Stressed But Well-Dressed, exploring the link between confidence, mindset and how we show up at work. In this episode we go back to the start- field sales, Christmas aisles and learning retail the hard way and how those early experiences built the instincts she later used to lead teams and shape commercial decisions across categories from home to healthcare. We talk about the moment online retail changed everything: why a profitable product on paper isn’t always profitable in reality, how customer behaviour differs by channel, and why great buyers have to understand the full journey not just the margin line. Dahlia shares how she influenced teams without authority, using insight and education to bring people with her rather than telling them what to do. We also get into the human side of careers. Redundancy knocked her confidence and identity, and led to creating Stressed But Well-Dressed as a way to rebuild her voice, discovering along the way that everyone, even senior leaders, is figuring it out as they go. Confidence, she says, isn’t about knowing everything it’s about trusting you can work it out. Along the way we cover trend moments that unexpectedly explode, why getting the basics right matters just as much as innovation, and the psychology behind why customers actually buy things in the first place. Three key takeaways 1. The best commercial instincts are built on the shop floor Those early, unglamorous roles teach you how retail actually works - customers, stores, operations and reality vs theory. That experience shapes stronger decisions later because you understand the impact beyond the numbers. 2. Buying isn’t just margin (yes we did say that) it’s the full operating model Online retail forced a shift from product-level thinking to end-to-end thinking. Packaging, fulfilment, returns and behaviour all matter, and the strongest commercial teams are the ones who connect customer behaviour to financial outcomes. 3. Confidence drives progression more than job titles Redundancy pushed Dahlia to rebuild her identity and voice- and reinforced a simple truth: everyone has doubt. The difference is backing yourself anyway. When you change your internal narrative, your external impact changes too. Connect with Dahlia Podcast: Stressed But Well-Dressed Exploring the relationship between clothing, confidence, and mindset Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

46 min

FEB 11

S8 E1: Behind every great product, is a product tech with Claire Ward, Senior Product Technologist at Mint Velvet

This week we are joined by Claire Ward- a senior product technologist. This episode is a particularly special one for us. Claire, Kate and Lyns all met right at the very beginning of our careers at Accessorize, learning the ropes of retail together so recording this felt like a real full-circle moment. We start by reminiscing about those early days before diving into the journey Claire has taken since, building an impressive career across some of the UK’s best-known fashion brands including Accessorize, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Mint Velvet and Hush. Claire shares how she moved from being a creative student into the world of product technology and explains why the role is far more influential than many people realise. She lifts the lid on what a product technologist actually does day-to-day from fit, construction and fabric performance to safety testing, compliance and quality assurance and how they quietly protect both the customer and the business. A particularly fascinating part of Claire’s journey came when she took a year out after Debenhams to work in Uganda with nonprofit organisation Acoa, which employed Ugandan women to produce jewellery and homeware for the US market. Hired as a product development manager, she quickly discovered she was the only person in the organisation with manufacturing or fashion experience and had to build the role from scratch. Acting as the bridge between US designers and the Ugandan production team, Claire created early samples, refined products for scalable production and introduced more efficient manufacturing methods. From visiting local markets to trace dye sources, to sourcing compliant suppliers in Kampala and investing in tooling for cowhorn craftsmen, the work was deeply hands-on and problem-solving led. Claire talks honestly about why tech teams can sometimes be undervalued despite preventing costly mistakes, reducing returns and improving customer trust. Along the way she shares real-world stories from factories in India to Christmas decorations that accidentally became classified as toys, highlighting how problem-solving sits at the heart of the job. Ultimately this episode is a reminder that behind every great product is a technologist making sure it works, lasts and is safe to sell — often without anyone ever knowing. Three Key Takeaways Product technologists are more than fit checkers. They bring expertise in fabric, manufacturing, construction and compliance that can save businesses significant money through reduced returns, improved consumption and stronger quality perception. Involve tech from the beginning. The strongest products happen when technologists are part of development from day one, working alongside buyers and designers to prevent problems before they become costly mistakes. Communication and respect are everything. Great buyer-tech partnerships rely on clear communication, mutual respect and understanding each other’s KPIs — when tech stays commercial and buyers listen to risk, everyone wins, especially the customer. Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

43 min

FEB 4

S7 E10: Progress Over Perfection: Making Circular Fashion Work at Scale with Nick Lambert, Head of Circularity at Primark

This week’s episode is a big one and a conversation we’ve been really excited to share. We’re joined by Nick Lambert, Head of Circularity at Primark, whose career journey is a powerful example of how deep commercial experience can drive real, meaningful change in sustainability. Nick started his career like many in retail working his way up through buying, beginning as a buying admin assistant at Arcadia (Topshop/Topman), before becoming a buyer and eventually moving to Primark nearly a decade ago. After 20 years in the industry, Nick made the transition from buying into sustainability, where he now leads Primark’s circular fashion strategy at scale. What makes this conversation so compelling is Nick’s honesty about the realities of change in a fast-paced, commercial retail environment. He shares how Primark’s sustainability function has evolved, how circularity is being embedded into buying and design teams, and why progression over perfection is the only way forward when working at volume. We dive into what circular design actually means in practice from hands-on co-creation workshops with buyers and designers, to the challenge (and success) of moving from 0% to 5% circular design in clothing in just two years. Nick also explains how material innovation plays a role, with 74% of Primark clothing now containing recycled or more sustainably sourced materials. A big part of this episode focuses on people how to bring buying teams on the journey, make sustainability exciting rather than overwhelming, and balance commercial KPIs alongside long-term environmental goals. Nick shares why internal ambassadors are key, and how creativity and collaboration unlock far more progress than compliance ever could. Finally, we look ahead. From upcoming EU legislation on eco-design, to the rise of pre-loved fashion and repair services, including Primark’s repair pilot with The Seam in Manchester, Nick gives a clear-eyed view of where circular retail is heading and why collaboration across the industry has never been more important. This is a must-listen for buyers, designers, sustainability teams, and anyone curious about how big retailers can be part of the solution. Three Key Takeaways 1) Scale Can Drive Real Impact While fast fashion often faces criticism for volume, Nick shows how scale can be a force for good. From supporting 300,000 small-holder farmers through the Cotton Project to achieving 10% recycled cotton usage, large retailers have the power to drive meaningful change when sustainability is built into the system. 2) Sustainability Needs Commercial Allies The biggest barrier to progress isn’t technical - it’s engagement. Embedding sustainability into buying teams means speaking their language, celebrating progress over perfection, and making change feel creative, achievable, and commercially relevant. 3) Collaboration Is Non-Negotiable Sustainability is one area where competitors are choosing collaboration over secrecy. Working with organisations like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Cotton Connect, and alongside brands such as H&M, Inditex, Ralph Lauren and Gucci, proves that shared challenges require shared solutions. Support the show If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :) - and if you already have, thank you! Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk Find out more about us www.buyingandbeyond.co.uk If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you! https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support

1h 7m

Buying and Beyond

S8 E7: Introducing... The Buyers Club

S8 E6: Rental, Resilience & Redefining Maternity Fashion with Lyndsay Mason

S8 E5 Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honour with Janine McManus

S8 E4: From Fashion Buying to Building Club Mera with Amy Rollings

S8 E3: Podcast LIVE at Top Drawer - Getting started in AI with Hannah Adams

S8 E2: From shop floor lessons to commercial confidence in FMCG with Dahlia Stroud

S8 E1: Behind every great product, is a product tech with Claire Ward, Senior Product Technologist at Mint Velvet

S7 E10: Progress Over Perfection: Making Circular Fashion Work at Scale with Nick Lambert, Head of Circularity at Primark

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Buying and Beyond

Episodes

S8 E7: Introducing... The Buyers Club

S8 E6: Rental, Resilience & Redefining Maternity Fashion with Lyndsay Mason

S8 E5 Burnout Isn’t a Badge of Honour with Janine McManus

S8 E4: From Fashion Buying to Building Club Mera with Amy Rollings

S8 E3: Podcast LIVE at Top Drawer - Getting started in AI with Hannah Adams

S8 E2: From shop floor lessons to commercial confidence in FMCG with Dahlia Stroud

S8 E1: Behind every great product, is a product tech with Claire Ward, Senior Product Technologist at Mint Velvet

S7 E10: Progress Over Perfection: Making Circular Fashion Work at Scale with Nick Lambert, Head of Circularity at Primark

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