About me
Hello,
I’m Bridget John
I've spent over 20 years in the global fashion, outdoor and retail industries - as a senior leader, as a founder, and as a fractional executive. I've lived and worked in Australia, the UK, France and Morocco, and built a couple of businesses along the way.
My retail foundations
I started out my career in visual merchandising in Melbourne with French Connection, then headed to London looking after stores across the UK and Europe. On returning to Australia I led visual merchandising and retail marketing for some of the country's biggest fashion retailers, including Ozmosis, Roger David and Just Jeans, across national networks of up to 200+ stores.
Then came the global surf and outdoor industry with Quiksilver, Roxy and DC. I moved down to Torquay on the surf coast, first leading retail marketing across Australia and New Zealand, then stepping up to APAC Trade Marketing Director, managing a regional team and working across Southeast Asia, North Asia, China and Japan. From there I moved to the Basque coast of France as Global Trade Marketing Director, working with the global brand directors and regional teams across Europe, the Americas and Asia Pacific.
That's where I learned what good looks like at global scale - how to regionalise brand strategy, marketing systems and retail operations, and how to lead teams across very different markets and cultures.
Building something of my own
In 2016 I left the big brands to build something of my own. I started Nouvelle Nomad, an international retailer and supplier to the design industry of vintage Moroccan rugs and artisan-made homewares and eventually moved to Marrakech. I spent my days in the souks with the makers and carpet traders, and building the relationships the business still runs on.
For the last ten years I've run it between Marrakech, Melbourne and more recently a move back to London. I built the ecommerce platform from scratch in the early days of Shopify, shipped thousands of hand-restored vintage rugs and artisan goods around the world, fought through the realities of international importing and logistics, and managed a self-funded P&L.
Finding myself grounded in Melbourne during the pandemic years I opened my own large-format retail showrooms, ran pop-ups, and built collaborations with much-loved homewares brands, interior designers, stylists and retailers.
That decade taught me more about running an international business than any corporate role could.
My work with global brands through to founder led start-ups
Alongside Nouvelle Nomad, for the last decade I've worked with other brands as a contractor, consultant and fractional leader. I spent 12 months with the Movember Foundation launching new fundraising products and leading a cross-functional team to bring their global go-to-market and martech together across Australia, the UK and the US. I led the trade marketing project for YETI's launch into Australian outdoor retail, and returned to Quiksilver to lead a project team to bring the Quiksilver Vintage collection to market around the world.
I've also worked with founders and VC backed start-ups at the very beginning - helping a gaming and culture start-up launch its first two brands, running brand resets and go-to-market workshops for creative agencies, designers and makers, and facilitating strategy workshops for founder groups and women in business.
Most recently I've been embedded as General Manager at The Hippie Shake a London-based D2C fashion brand, growing it across the UK, US and European markets.
Every one of those projects has been different, and that variety is my edge. I've seen what works (and what doesn't) across big organisations, scale-ups and brands that are just getting started.
What all that means for your brand
So when you tell me about your supply chain headaches, your cash flow squeeze, decisions on website platforms or the launch that's off track, I come at it as a founder, because I've had the same problems to solve, with my own money on the line.
Big brands taught me what good looks like at global scale. Running my own taught me what's actually possible with a small team and a tight budget. I bring both - I'll get across your business quickly, tell you honestly what's working and what isn't, and help you and your team focus on what matters most.
Why adventurous brands?
Travel has shaped my whole life. I've lived and worked around the world since I first moved to London in my 20s, with stints of living in France and Morocco and a few extended homecomings to Melbourne in between. I'm usually planning the next trip before I've unpacked from the last one.
Landing in a new city, finding the vibiest neighbourhood with the best local spots for dinner, exploring the outdoors, wandering markets meeting small business owners and the people who make things by hand is where I get my inspiration and energy.
I love to write about it too. I share travel stories, guides and the places I love on my Substack, blog and Instagram. Creating that content keeps me close to what's working in SEO, organic social and content, and how the best brands are showing up.
I'm drawn to brands that get people out into the world, or bring a bit of the world home - outdoor, travel, homewares, fashion and lifestyle brands, and the adventurous founders behind them who have a big idea.
