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Buying and Beyond
Welcome to the Buying & Beyond podcast, the podcast for all things Retail Buying...and more!
Join us, Kate & Lyns, buyers and best friends, each week for industry insights, stories and expertise from real people in retail.
Enjoy honest stories and conversations, retail therapy and learn bite-sized tips from us and our guests from across the industry.
- Season 1 starts with Becoming a Buyer - the background to how we started in the industry, what exactly is a Buyer, working your way up the ladder and the main meetings and tasks working in Buying
- Season 2 is all about Being a Buyer - leading a team, coordinating trips, working with suppliers, product & personal development and sustainability
- Season 3 takes us beyond just the direct Buying team - we introduce merchandisers, talk about designers and new trends, burnout & life coaching.
- Season 4 is where we are joined by more Retail Buyers and have also invited Retail Businesses to tell us their stories
- Season 5 continues with a fantastic assortment of Retail Buyers and Retail Businesses. We find out how they got started and what inspires & excites them about retail - plus we lift the lid on what Brands need and Buyers expect!
We are your modern day mentors; prepping Buyers of the future and empowering current Buyers. Our insights for retail businesses and entrepreneurs will shine a light on how to to build, grow, scale and pitch like a pro!
If you like listening to this podcast, please rate, follow and share - you can also find us on instagram @buyingandbeyond
Come behind the scenes with Buying and Beyond
Episodes
53 episodes
Retail Reflections 002 - Manchester Rising: Retail’s New Hotspot & Industry Shakeups
In this week’s summer series episode, Katy and Lynsey dive into the latest headlines shaping the UK retail landscape. They begin with an update on River Island’s ongoing financial challenges, including a postponed court decision and a critical ...
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19:03
Retail Reflections 001 - Experiential retail, brand strategies and AI developments
Welcome! This is the start of our retail reflections, our weekly Friday morning catch up on all that's been going on in retail. While we're taking a break from main podcast this summer, we thought actually, you know what, we chat a lot ab...
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17:33
S5 E10: Building a career in Buying with Lucy Smith, Senior Buyer for Womenswear and Accessories for Jigsaw
In this episode, we’re joined by Lucy Smith, Senior Buyer for Womenswear and Accessories at Jigsaw. It’s a nostalgic one as we all began our buying careers together on the bags team at Accessorize a real full-circle moment for us ex-Accessorize...
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Season 5
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Episode 10
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1:07:26
S5 Ep9: Secrets to social media success
In this episode, we sit down with Hannah Robb, founder of Han Social, a marketing consultancy dedicated to empowering businesses to connect with their ideal customers and build sustainable growth without burning out. With over 15 years of exper...
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Season 5
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Episode 9
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50:47
S5 Ep8: 'Sprinkling that Merchandising magic' with over 20 years of experience for major UK fashion retailers Anna provides valuable insights into merchandising and business strategy
In this episode, we speak with Anna Youngston, founder of Majury Merchandising and former merchandising professional at Accessorize, about her transition from a long-standing career in retail to establishing her own consultancy. With over 20 ye...
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Season 5
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Episode 8
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55:55
S5 Ep7: Retail doing the right thing - We discuss circularity, re-sale & big shifts ahead with more brands stepping up to do the right thing
In this episode, we dive into the powerful wave of change sweeping across the retail world as more brands step up to do the right thing. From circular business models and resale platforms to thoughtful retail strategies and new legisla...
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Season 5
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Episode 7
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45:17
S5 Ep6: Orange and Green should always be seen! We talk with the designers at The Outdoor Edit, a bold new Scottish brand reimagining how we design and enjoy our outdoor spaces.
In this vibrant episode, we sit down with Caitlin and Claire, the designers behind The Outdoor Edit, a bold new Scottish brand reimagining how we design and enjoy our outdoor spaces. With a mission to treat outdoor areas as an extension of the ...
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Season 5
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Episode 6
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54:09
S5 Ep5: Comp Shop, not Copy Shop! It's essential for staying inspired, spotting trends, and growing creatively in retail
Welcome to another episode of Buying and Beyond! In this episode it's just us! We’re taking a small break from our guest spots, as we dive into the world of Comp Shops, discussing why they’re essential for staying inspired, spotting trends, and...
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Season 5
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Episode 5
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53:53
S5 Ep4: 'Always striving for what's next!' Rosie Platt, Head of E-commerce & Range, shares how moving retailers can really help you find whats really important to you. From carefully created collections to fast fashion trading floors
Today we’re joined by Rosie Platt, Head of Range & Ecommerce at NOTH. Rosie has a huge amount of retail buying experience working for a wide variety of UK retailers, including Principles, Debenhams, Oasis, Jaeger, River Island, BBC Children...
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Season 5
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Episode 4
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1:07:38
S5 Ep3: 'The best ideas are organic' Ally Mitchell and Anna Campbell-Jones chat to us about their incredible collaboration ‘Ocean Swallows’
Today we are joined by Ally Mitchell founder of Ocean Kitchen Scotland a brand that's doing amazing work using recycled plastic found in the ocean. Joining with Ally today is Anna Campbell-Jones, an awarding winning interior design and presente...
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Season 5
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Episode 3
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47:33
S5 Ep2: So, your moving to Denim…. On Monday! Shani shares it all, from Arcadia to Superdry
Today we’re joined by Shani - Shani has worked for Arcadia, Tesco, Tie Rack and Superdry - all large Uk retailers but with very different buying offices and Shani is here to tell us all about it. It’s a really raw and honest talk about how reta...
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Season 5
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Episode 2
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44:04
S5 Ep1: We ‘chat’ to the creator of the amazing instagram account ‘Life of a Buyer’
We couldn’t be more thrilled to kick off Season 5 with such an incredible guest! It was an absolute privilege to have a conversation with the creator behind the wildly popular Instagram account, Life of a Buyer (LOAB). With over 33,000 engaged ...
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Season 5
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Episode 1
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51:15
S4 Ep10: Collaboration is kindness with inspirational brand owner Becs founder of the Jewellery brand Boho Betty
In today’s episode, we’re joined by the incredibly inspiring Bex, founder of the beautiful family run jewellery business in the heart of Wilkshire Boho Betty. From a doctor to a business owner, Bex has managed to juggle her growi...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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40:15
S4 E9 Turning plastic waste into Candyfloss: The Polyfloss Factory co-founder Audrey Gaulard has an incredibly creative mind, which has taken her from haute couture fashion to engineering for the creation of circular economies
Today we are joined by Audrey, one the co- Founders of The Polyfloss Factory. The company's main goal is to reduce plastic waste and to transform it into a valuable and unique new resource by inventing a machine inspired by the principle...
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Season 4
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Episode 9
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53:21
S4 Ep8: To fit and flatter - The Founder of Fairlie Curved, Jayne Lasley, is an incredibly inspiring CEO, creating a business that empowers women by providing a solution to a fit size that is missing in the market
To celebrate International women's day we are so excited to be joined by Jayne Lasley founder of clothing brand Fairlie Curved. Fairlie Curved is a brand that is dedicated to helping curvy women, particularly those with fuller busts, feel and l...
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Season 4
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Episode 8
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56:33
Season 4 Episode 7: The Better Trends co-founder Louise Healy joins us to discuss how trends can be used for the better and the importance of collaboration in this challenging retail landscape
Today we are joined by co-founder of The Better Trends Company, Louise Healy, here today to talk about her career journey and of course all things trends! The Better Trends Company are a trend and design agency doing better, with focused trend ...
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Season 4
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Episode 7
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55:49
Season 4 Episode 6: Taking leaps of faith with Ex Schuh, Dune, M&S, Dobbies Buyer turned brand owner and podcaster Claire Gray
Today we are speaking to Claire Gray founder of the amazing skin care brand Ermana Natural skin care and fellow podcaster, for the 'Skin and Within' podcast! Claire is also an ex buyer. Claire will be telling us all about her journey through re...
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Season 4
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Episode 6
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38:39
Season 4 Episode 5: Buyers of the Future. Ex M&S, BHS, White Company and QVC Buyer Sarah Hansford talks to us about her buying journey and how rewarding it is to be teaching “buyers of the future” at the Fashion Retail Academy
Today we are joined by the lovely Sarah Hansford, a buying professional with many hats! Sarah has been in the buying world for over 20 years and worked for lots of different retailers. She’s a fellow ex M&S buyer and most recently is doing ...
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Season 4
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Episode 5
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40:25
Season 4 Episode 4: Get retail ready as this week we talk about Buyers AND Brands. What are our top tips for connecting with the Buyers you need to get in front of in order to get your product stocked in a retailer
Today we discuss the importance of trade shows for Buyers and for brands to connect. We give you the insight into our favourite things about a trade show, trend spotting and helping the evolution of a brand. Plus we debate the pros and cons to ...
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Season 4
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Episode 4
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34:12
Season 4 Episode 3: A full circle moment. Ex NEXT Buyer and founder of Mardy Bum Active Club Anna joins us to tell us her incredible and emotional story of how events in life have taken her from Fashion Retail Buying to Founder of an activewear brand.
Anna joins us to tell us her incredible and emotional story of how events in life have taken her from Fashion Retail Buying to Founder of an activewear brand. Anna loved her job as a Retail Buyer but events outside of her control ended her care...
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Season 4
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Episode 3
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51:54
Season 4 Episode 2: Retail resolutions & revolutions. What is the future of Retail? Are we really on the ‘cusp of the most dramatic transformation yet?' We talk about our new year's resolutions and a new industrial revolution.
We are feeling so excited for 2025 and all the exciting projects we have in the pipeline. Ready to leave 2024 behind and bring through positive energy from such a great year to build on our foundations and grow into the business we want to be. ...
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Season 4
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Episode 2
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38:45
Season 4 Episode 1: Trading in Jan- Help! Sometimes it need a miracle in January to turn the sales around. We talk top tips and the drama that goes on behind the scenes.
This week we are easing ourselves into the new year with a good goss to start…We are catching up and chatting about skiing, impractical ski wear, sportswear brands, practical dressing v. fashion and a great first gift from a boyfriend…
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Season 4
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Episode 1
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31:12
Season 3 Episode 10: Let's talk Christmas - what's it like buying, trading and promoting Christmas products
Here we are our final episode for Season 3, ending with a Christmas special :) We’ve both bought Christmas for over 7 years and it was one of our favourite areas to buy, it can be so much fun! We talk favourite themes, development trips, sample...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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42:29
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Season 3 Episode 9: The Buyers Coach Levanah Gates shares her journey from Buyer to Life Coach and how her insight into the industry helps to support fellow Buyers
This week are joined by Levanah Gates, The Buyers Coach. Levanah started working in retail buying at a similar time to us, she’s worked at a large number of high street retailers and has seen it all! She joins us to tell us her story, from s...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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37:52
Season 3 Episode 8: Finding the balance between work and personal life; how to manage your stress levels and not lead to burnout.
Today’s episode has been on a quite an intense subject, but one that we’ve had quite a few requests for us to discuss - so we hope we did it justice! Stress can be both good and bad, the adrenaline can motivate, but too much can feel o...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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40:39