48. MyShowcase

Founders: Nancy Cruickshank, Kate Shapland, Rodrigo Dauster and Olivier Beau de Lomenie
Founded: May 2012
Website: www.myshowcase.com

After more than 10 years in the world of fashion and beauty, Nancy Cruickshank noticed there were many barriers, and far few opportunities for women between the ages of 25 and 55 who wanted to start a business. 

With the help of her long time industry friends she launched MyShowcase, which sells products from more than 30 independent beauty brands, online and through a network of female stylists. Described by Cruickshank as “Avon meets Space NK”, stylists are given the opportunity to start their own flexible business while the overarching company supports and promotes independent brands – an admirable proposition. The website generates revenue from a share of the sales, and spends its marketing budget by rewarding its nearly 400 personally trained stylists with commission from the products they sell. The business carefully selects the brands it wants to work with and has already amassed a database of more than 10,000 customers, growing at around 10% every month.

After bootstrapping for the first year to prove they were market fit, the team has raised just under £2m to scale over the coming year. With the right balance of entrepreneurial zeal, and the dedication it has to its brands and stylists, we think MyShowcase could just have what it takes to become a household name in the industry.