People’s Champion Finalist: MyShowcase

Start-up name: MyShowcase
Founders: Nancy Cruickshank, Kate Shapland, Rodrigo Dauster and Olivier Beau de Lomenie
Started in: 2012
Based in: London
Business description: A beauty e-commerce platform that also sells through its entrepreneurial network of ‘Stylists’

Shortlisted categories:

Retail Business of the Year
Women in Business Award

The MyShowcase story: 

Described as “Space NK meets Avon”, MyShowcase is a platform featuring 38 carefully curated, independent beauty brands, which it sells through its online channel and via over 400 trained ‘Stylists’. The brainchild of co-founder Nancy Cruickshank, the discovery platform enables aspiring female entrepreneurs to set up their own flexible business.

After spending more than a decade in the industry, Cruickshank came up with the idea as a solution to both customers’ preference to buy products in a “relaxed and sociable environment away from the stress of the high street” and the lack of business opportunities for women aged between 25 and 55.  

Since launch in 2012, the start-up has gone from strength to strength – having been recognised for both its business success and beauty expertise. Sherry Coutu’s Silicon Valley Comes to the UK programme named the business one of the top scale-ups to watch and The Independent awarded it second place for online beauty retailer in 2014.

This year has seen the business continue to expand, beating its stylist enrolment target by 24% in the first half of 2015, boasting a 21% returning customer rate and recently securing a £1.8m investment. With its latest funds, MyShowcase plans to facilitate growth plans, which include accelerating enrolment numbers, expanding its training and support tools, and developing new tech to give online customers a more personalised service.

Why MyShowcase made our 60:

Thanks to its innovative business model, MyShowcase has managed to achieve commercial success, attract significant investment and give back to the entrepreneurial community with its network of stylists. With further explosive growth in the pipeline, it’s definitely a business to watch. 

Where to find out more about MyShowcase:

Website: www.myshowcase.com
Twitter: twitter.com/myshowcase