Retail Ready: Insights from our Women of Influence Event

Retail success is often framed as a breakthrough moment. The yes from a buyer. The first department store placement. The brand logo on a shop floor you once aspired to walk into.

The reality, as discussed at our recent Women of Influence event, is far less linear.

In conversation with Rebecca McCredie, Director at Cavendish, Margaret Dabbs OBE, founder of Margaret Dabbs, and Vanita Parti MBE, founder of Blink Brow Bar, shared a candid view of what sits behind those moments. Persistence. Negotiation. Compromise. And, often, a long stretch of being ignored before being noticed.

Why relationships matter more than the pitch

One theme surfaced repeatedly. Getting stocked is rarely about a perfect pitch. It is about relationships. Buyers move on. Priorities change. Emails go unanswered. Progress comes from staying visible, following up, and being willing to hear “not yet” without walking away. Both founders spoke about the uncomfortable but necessary art of being politely persistent, even when it feels awkward.

There was also a strong reminder to understand retailers on their own terms. Different stores attract different customers, and founders who succeed are those who adapt rather than insist. Proof of concept matters. That might mean starting with a single chair, an imperfect space, or a retailer that was never the original ambition. Momentum often comes from performance, not positioning.

The commercial reality founders learn the hard way

The conversation cut through the romance of retail. Early on, founders often give more than they should, whether through commission rates, space constraints or unfavourable terms, in exchange for visibility. Over time, confidence grows from knowing your numbers, understanding your margins and being clear about where value is actually being created.

Turning over product changes the dynamic. Commercial clarity shifts the balance. What begins as gratitude for an opportunity becomes a negotiation between equals, but only once the numbers support it.

For service-led brands, that reality is even sharper. Growth brings complexity around training, consistency and customer experience. Both speakers were clear that scaling a service business requires constant attention. Listening closely to customers. Investing in training. Staying close to the floor. Experience, not just product, is what sustains trust.

Retail readiness as a mindset, not a milestone

Perhaps the most reassuring takeaway was this. Retail success is rarely fast, tidy or entirely fair. But it is learnable. The founders reflected openly on missteps, tough negotiations and decisions that only made sense in hindsight.

Being retail ready, it turns out, is less about readiness as a moment. It is about resilience, adaptability and a willingness to stay in the game longer than others.