Bring Your Product Idea to Life

What does it really take to start a product-based business from scratch and grow it into something that reaches international markets?In this episode, I’m joined by Jason Harvey, founder of Common Coffee, a specialty coffee roastery based just outside Edinburgh that now supplies wholesale customers, retail consumers, and international markets including Dubai and the US.Jason’s journey didn’t begin with a perfect business plan. It started with an events business, a chance moment at a music festival, and a willingness to follow curiosity rather than certainty.We talk about how Common Coffee was built from the ground up, including how Jason went from refurbishing a forgotten coffee roaster in a Scottish workshop to launching at the London Coffee Festival just six weeks later.This is a conversation about momentum, decision-making, and what really happens after you “launch” a business.One of the biggest themes in this conversation is that building a product business takes far longer than most people expect.Jason shares how early momentum came from action and deadlines not perfection and how real growth comes from staying consistent long after the launch moment.We also talk about how setbacks don’t always block progress. In Jason’s case, a £35K packaging error became the unexpected catalyst for expanding into the US market.Find Jason Here: Website - https://commoncoffee.co.uk/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/iicommonInstagram - @iicommonLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-harvey-a28721198/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/common-coffee/?viewAsMember=trueYoutube - https://www.youtube.com/@BedofRoastersLET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportChapters:00:00 Introduction to Jason Harvey and Common Coffee01:01 How a coffee roastery started from an unexpected opportunity09:10 Taking a business idea from concept to launch in six weeks11:58 Why deadlines create momentum in a startup15:35 Building confidence through community and loyal customers17:29 Expanding internationally through trade shows and networking19:54 Growing wholesale and online sales together27:49 Working with family and building the right team35:15 Turning mistakes into opportunities38:41 Advice for anyone thinking about starting a business43:09 What Jason would do differently if he started again44:51 Jason's number one piece of advice for product business ownersMentioned in this episode:Amazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

If you're trying to work out how to grow a product business, it can be tempting to focus on increasing sales above everything else. But what happens when your sales are growing and your profits aren't?In this episode, I'm joined by Christabel Biella, a fractional operator and commercial growth consultant who helps product based business owners build stronger, more sustainable businesses.We talk about what healthy growth actually looks like, why more sales don't always lead to more profit, and the common mistakes that can make growth feel harder rather than easier.Christabel shares practical advice on pricing, product ranges, inventory management, hiring and choosing the right sales channels. We also discuss how to spot when something isn't working in your business and the key numbers every founder should understand before making decisions about growth.If you've ever wondered how to grow a product business in a way that feels sustainable and profitable, there's plenty in this conversation that will help.Christabel is also offering a free 20 minute commercial model review call for founders who'd like support identifying growth opportunities and improving profitability within their business.Find Christabel here: - Website: https://www.cbco.uk- My Commercial Diagnostic Sprint info page: https://www.cbco.uk/sprint - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christabel/LET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportMentioned in this episode:Amazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

In today’s episode I’m joined by website conversion expert Lisa Whalley-Smith to break down how product-based businesses can realistically grow, and even double their website revenue.Lisa shares the simple but powerful framework she uses with clients to improve performance across three key areas: traffic, conversion rate, and average order value. But as she explains, growth doesn’t start with traffic, it starts with understanding your numbers.We talk through real examples of brands Lisa has worked with, including businesses going from £8–10K months to significantly higher revenue by making focused, data-led improvements.In this episode, we cover:The 3 key metrics that drive website revenue (and how they work together)Why conversion rate should come before trafficHow to increase conversion rates through better messaging and customer alignmentSimple but effective ways to increase average order value (including bundling, offers, and free delivery thresholds)When and how to focus on increasing website traffic through ads, PR, and social mediaWhy understanding your data is the most important first step before making changesOne of the key takeaways from this conversation is that growth doesn’t come from doing everything at once, it comes from focusing on the right lever at the right time, and consistently measuring what works.If you run a product-based business and want to increase your online sales in a more structured, strategic way, this episode will give you a really practical starting point.Find Lisa here:https://www.klaritymarketing.co.ukhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/lisawhalleysmithLET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeMentioned in this episode:Amazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

If you’re wondering how to get your first reviews on Amazon, this episode is for you.Because reviews really do matter.They help customers trust your products, they improve conversions, and they send strong signals to Amazon’s algorithm that your product is worth showing to more people.In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly why reviews are so important, why I always recommend focusing on reviews before running ads, and the compliant ways you can start building reviews when you’re launching a new product.I’m also talking about something I think many sellers worry about unnecessarily, getting the occasional less than perfect review, and why volume of reviews can actually matter more than having a perfect five star rating.If you’re launching on Amazon, or you’ve got products sitting there with very few reviews, this episode will help you understand what to focus on first.Everything you need to know about Amazon Vine: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/31085d58-6597-4221-8627-35e4846480ba/LET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportMentioned in this episode:Amazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

This week I’m joined by Holly Stafford-Smith from GH Stafford & Son Ltd, a fourth-generation family business that has been supplying leather goods and accessories across the UK for almost 80 years.In this episode, Holly shares the story of how the business evolved from manufacturing leather goods in post-war Walsall to becoming a long-established wholesale supplier working with retailers and wholesalers across the UK and Ireland.We talk about what it’s really like working in a family business, balancing tradition with modernisation, navigating generational differences, evolving a product range over time, and why focusing on product quality has helped the business continue to grow after all these years.There’s also a really honest conversation about the realities of family business life, the challenges, the opportunities, and the deep care that comes with building something across generations.Whether you run a product-based business yourself or are interested in how long-standing businesses continue to adapt and evolve, there’s so much insight in this episode.Episode Chapters:00:00 Introduction to Holly Stafford-Smith and GH Stafford & Son Ltd01:31 The story behind the family business founded in 194703:17 How the business has stayed relevant for nearly 80 years05:49 Modernising a long-established wholesale business07:24 Selling through retailers and wholesalers across the UK09:09 Why the business has stayed B2B only11:05 How the product range has evolved over the years13:44 Using customer feedback to shape products16:44 Growing up in a family business19:40 Working across different roles in the business20:43 Navigating family dynamics and generational differences24:58 The realities of working in a family business29:30 Holly’s advice for product business ownersConnect with Holly here:https://ghstafford.com/https://www.facebook.com/GHStaffordandSonhttps://www.instagram.com/ghstaffordandson/https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-stafford-smith/https://www.linkedin.com/company/g.h.stafford-&-son-limited/LET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportMentioned in this episode:Amazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership