23 min
Episode 18 - Bras Means Business with Natalie Ward Founder of Latched UK Start Scale Succeed
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- Entrepreneurship
Latched UK was born out of frustration when Natalie Ward couldn’t find activewear to wear whilst pregnant and breast feeding. With a background in sports, she knew what she wanted and set to work creating it. Natalie joins Nicole on this week's Start Scale Succeed to tell us how she went from initial concept, to launch in just 8 months and how influencer marketing has really seen business boom.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Natalie didn’t outsource anything and did all the branding, design, and registering the business herself. When sourcing manufacturers she used video calls to look around the factory to make sure it lived up to her standards.
Latched UK has grown from 3 products which have been tried and tested, with Natalie’s leggings lasting over 3 years, to now having 40 items available.
Influencer Rochelle Hulmes helped Natalie sell out of her bestselling leggings. Influencer marketing has really grown her business all from products being gifted rather than paid promotions.
Natalie’s advice is to do your market research and back yourself if you can solve a problem that nobody else can.
BEST MOMENTS
‘The only thing we could find was in Australia and was not great, so we decided to do it ourselves’
‘They said we don’t have the technology to make this in the UK’
‘People want that Prime next day delivery for their night time feed’
‘Influencer marketing changed my world’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/latcheduk
www.latched.uk
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Hi 🖐, I am Natalie. The Latched journey started in January 2018 after the birth of my daughter, Harper. Prior to her birth I thought I knew what being tired was, then my little snack feeder decided to give me a real education on sleep deprivation. Her little and often snack style appetite didn't allow much opportunity to leave the house or do anything for myself. This really took a toll on my mental health during a particularly harsh winter, I was DESPERATE to leave the house so I started googling breastfeeding jumpers and sports bras because I live in activewear. To say I was disappointed was an understatement, I sat on the floor crying my eyes out at how hard my life had become to do something as simple as walking the dog.
After a long deep and meaningful conversation with David, my husband, he encouraged me to design my own and have something made. I put pencil to paper and started drawing, worked through a process and a few months later I had samples made up and in my hands and the rest they say is history.
By the time I launched Latched in Nov 2018 I was pregnant with number 2! A whole set of new challenges ahead, 2 under 2, a new business, a summer pregnancy and all the highs and lows this brings. A winter pregnancy, a summer pregnancy and two breastfed babies has shaped Latched and the products I create, in the hope of helping and supporting other mums on their journey into motherhood.
August 2019, my son Ethan joined our family and the adventure and roller coaster continues. If you want to get a deeper insight into my chaos and join in on my journey follow me on Instagram where my stories are a backstage view!
My body has far from bounced back this time, I have found that traditional sportswear and athleisurewear doesn't support or flatter my ever-changing body so in 2020 I launched the postnatal collection. The same high quality and value for money people have come to love but without the pregnancy or breastfeeding element.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and
Latched UK was born out of frustration when Natalie Ward couldn’t find activewear to wear whilst pregnant and breast feeding. With a background in sports, she knew what she wanted and set to work creating it. Natalie joins Nicole on this week's Start Scale Succeed to tell us how she went from initial concept, to launch in just 8 months and how influencer marketing has really seen business boom.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Natalie didn’t outsource anything and did all the branding, design, and registering the business herself. When sourcing manufacturers she used video calls to look around the factory to make sure it lived up to her standards.
Latched UK has grown from 3 products which have been tried and tested, with Natalie’s leggings lasting over 3 years, to now having 40 items available.
Influencer Rochelle Hulmes helped Natalie sell out of her bestselling leggings. Influencer marketing has really grown her business all from products being gifted rather than paid promotions.
Natalie’s advice is to do your market research and back yourself if you can solve a problem that nobody else can.
BEST MOMENTS
‘The only thing we could find was in Australia and was not great, so we decided to do it ourselves’
‘They said we don’t have the technology to make this in the UK’
‘People want that Prime next day delivery for their night time feed’
‘Influencer marketing changed my world’
VALUABLE RESOURCES
www.instagram.com/latcheduk
www.latched.uk
www.thebuyerandretailcoach.com
www.instagram.com/thebuyerandretailcoach
ABOUT THE GUEST
“Hi 🖐, I am Natalie. The Latched journey started in January 2018 after the birth of my daughter, Harper. Prior to her birth I thought I knew what being tired was, then my little snack feeder decided to give me a real education on sleep deprivation. Her little and often snack style appetite didn't allow much opportunity to leave the house or do anything for myself. This really took a toll on my mental health during a particularly harsh winter, I was DESPERATE to leave the house so I started googling breastfeeding jumpers and sports bras because I live in activewear. To say I was disappointed was an understatement, I sat on the floor crying my eyes out at how hard my life had become to do something as simple as walking the dog.
After a long deep and meaningful conversation with David, my husband, he encouraged me to design my own and have something made. I put pencil to paper and started drawing, worked through a process and a few months later I had samples made up and in my hands and the rest they say is history.
By the time I launched Latched in Nov 2018 I was pregnant with number 2! A whole set of new challenges ahead, 2 under 2, a new business, a summer pregnancy and all the highs and lows this brings. A winter pregnancy, a summer pregnancy and two breastfed babies has shaped Latched and the products I create, in the hope of helping and supporting other mums on their journey into motherhood.
August 2019, my son Ethan joined our family and the adventure and roller coaster continues. If you want to get a deeper insight into my chaos and join in on my journey follow me on Instagram where my stories are a backstage view!
My body has far from bounced back this time, I have found that traditional sportswear and athleisurewear doesn't support or flatter my ever-changing body so in 2020 I launched the postnatal collection. The same high quality and value for money people have come to love but without the pregnancy or breastfeeding element.”
ABOUT THE HOST
Buying & retail expert Nicole Higgins spent the last 18 years working for companies such as Primark, M&S, Debenhams and Asda, sourcing & developing products from all over the world, building strategies for blue chip businesses, and increasing bottom line sales and profit, adding over £40 million in incremental business to the bottom line.
Nicole now uses that experience and works as a consultant and
23 min