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Launching a successful (and ethical) e-commerce brand, is the dream of entrepreneurs all over the world and like many, Ben Caspary launched his during the height of the pandemic, when thinking time allowed him to bring his passion project to life. booheads , the eco-friendly oral care brand that brought us the world’s first bamboo electric toothbrush head, has been featured in the likes of the Guardian, Natural Health and GQ, and it’s the category lead on the fast growing eco-friendly products marketplace, Canopey . Despite this success, Ben was keen to share with me some of the pitfalls to look out for, for those considering a similar styled venture:

Founders; remember to think like retailers

It’s an easy trap to fall into when launching a sustainable e-commerce brand. A founder can naturally think like a founder, caring, nurturing and protective of their baby. Yet retailers focus on other priorities. They focus on margins, rate of sale and how a product will help develop their category. So don’t let your purpose or ego suffocate you and remember to think like a retailer too.

Cashflow = Pulse…Check your pulse

With a good idea behind you, you’ll no doubt see some tasty looking sales start to accumulate faster than you dreamed possible, but don’t be blinded by those luscious revenue figures. Increasing stock holdings requirements and increased spends can bite you in the butt and kill your cashflow. As the old analogy wisely states, cash is king, revenue is vanity and profit is sanity.

Beware the big players lurking

Like a sneaky shark, hiding in the murky depths, the big established companies in the market are watching your every move, letting you make the mistakes that they daren’t try. Only when you start to prove your concept a success, will they make their move, copying (literally in the case of some overseas competitors) your prideful product, undercutting on price and muscling in with their big retail partners and heftier marketing budgets.

So why do it? Ben’s answer taps into what it is to be an entrepreneur. “It’s a highly addictive pursuit of the satisfaction and sense of achievement one gets. Being able to bring something to life, driving growth of the products and building a brand that has a purpose, is a priceless combo.”

If you’d like to find out more about booheads and explore their range of sustainable oral care product,, visit www.booheads.com

If you’d like your marketing to grow your bottom line AND positive impact, visit growthanimals.com

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