Founder Advisory
Senior brand and commercial brainpower in your corner, for the decisions that shape your next stage.
I work with founder-led retail and ecommerce brands in outdoor, fashion, homewares, travel and lifestyle.
Brands that have found their feet, built real revenue, to the point where the priorities have multiplied and the path forward isn't obvious.
I don't come on board to execute for you - there's plenty of great freelancers for that.
I bring 20+ years of brand and commercial leadership to set the strategy with you, and support you and your team to deliver it. You keep the execution in-house, building the muscle and momentum, and get a strategic operator in your corner without the overhead of a senior hire.
Things we can work on together:
Brand & Positioning
Sharpening what your brand stands for, who it's for, and how it shows up.
Brand architecture for multi-product and multi-market businesses, and the strategy to keep it consistent as you grow.
Go-to-market & Growth
Launch plans for new products, categories and collections.
Choosing the right channels, initiatives and priorities, and building the roadmap your team executes against.
International Expansion
Entering the UK, Europe, USA or Australia with your eyes open.
Market and competitor landscape, localisation, and the commercial plan for making a new region work.
Retail & Ecommerce Commercial Strategy
Range architecture, pricing and margin strategy, omni-channel planning across D2C, retail and wholesale, and the trading rhythm to keep it all moving.
The Reset
Every brand hits this point. You've built something real, founder instinct has carried you a long way, and now the next stage feels unclear. Too many products, too many priorities, everyone busy, but momentum feels flat.
The Reset is a re-prioritisation for your next stage. We start with a 2-hour deep-dive session working through what's working, what's not, and what deserves your focus now - the vision, the brand, your key product franchises and hero products, and the channels you'll show up in.
You leave with a clear game plan and priorities your whole team can rally behind. Two follow-up calls over the following six weeks keep you accountable and executing.
Format: 2-hour deep-dive strategy session, a written 90 day action plan, and two follow-up calls when you need them to keep you moving.
Your Reset Game Plan:
Sharpened brand & business vision
3–5 strategic priorities decided
What to stop/start/continue
Key product and channel priorities
90-day action plan
Investment: £1,000
Advisory Retainer
Ongoing senior brainpower in your corner, week on week, month on month. This is for founders who've got the plan, but are doing it all alone and want an experienced operator to pressure-test decisions, help set strategy and milestones, and coach the team who deliver it.
I bring my experience across global brands, scale up retailers and building my own international business to your biggest challenges - brand, range, channels, margins, markets. I lead the priorities, your team delivers, and your business keeps moving without depending on me long term.
Format: One 1 hour planning call per week, sounding-board access between them, and a monthly strategy and milestones check in. Minimum three months.
Investment: From £2,000 per month
Most retainer clients start with a Reset, so we begin with a 90 day action plan we built together.
“It really took my thinking to the next level and gave me the confidence to feel “I can do this.”
Bridget helped me put my portfolio and website together in a way that truly represented me.
It was the first time I could really appreciate all the work I have been putting in to building my brand. It gave me the confidence to see myself and my work as a brand for the first time.
It really took my thinking to the next level and gave me the confidence to feel “I can do this”
— Sofia Ruffino, Founder Sofi Modi
Hello, I’m Bridget John
With over 20 years of experience in brand, retail and marketing leadership, I've worked across global lifestyle brands, major fashion retailers, and built my own retail and ecommerce ventures from the ground up.
I've worked through founder-led startups, VC-backed scale-ups, and executive leadership in global organisations - spanning the outdoor, fashion, travel, home, lifestyle, consumer goods, and for-purpose sectors.
That mix of strategy and hands-on operating experience is what I bring to the table, helping founders build, launch and scale brands that don't lose their nerve as they grow.
Globally, regionally & locally
FAQs
How do we start?
With a Reset, usually. It gives us both a working relationship and gives you a game plan, whether or not we continue into a retainer afterwards.
How many brands do you work with at a time?
Three maximum. You get genuine thinking time, not a timeslot. I'll naturally be turning your business over in my head between our calls, and I'm available by email or voice note in between sessions.
Is everything confidential?
Completely. A non-disclosure clause is standard in our agreement, and I'll only ever reference your brand publicly with your approval.
What's the payment schedule?
The Reset is paid upfront at booking. Retainers are invoiced monthly in advance, with 14 days' notice to pause or reschedule a month.
Book a call
Tell me about your brand and where next steps feel unclear. We'll start with a 20-minute call to see if I can help and how we'd work together.