Janet Milner - Walker

BUILDING BETTER BEAUTY BUSINESSES
There comes a point in business when working harder stops being the answer.

The next question becomes: How do I create more value without simply creating more work?

That's when I start thinking about leverage.
✨Better systems
✨Stronger partnerships
✨Intellectual property
✨A clear proposition
✨Repeatable processes
✨The right people around you
✨And building relationships that create opportunities beyond a single project

I've become much more interested in quality and leverage than simply adding more to the business.

Because sustainable growth shouldn't require you to constantly increase the number of hours you work.

The goal isn't to do everything. It's to build something that creates value. That's a very different way of thinking about growth.

What could you leverage more effectively in your business?

BUILDING BETTER BEAUTY BUSINESSES
One of the biggest shifts I've made in my own business is understanding that growth isn't always about doing more.

It's about making better decisions about where to focus.
✨Which opportunities are genuinely worth pursuing?
✨Which clients are the right fit?
✨Where can I create the most value?
✨What deserves investment?
✨And what can I confidently say no to?

As a business grows, the ability to prioritise becomes just as important as the ability to execute.

I've seen businesses become distracted by too many opportunities, too many products and too many markets simply because they could pursue them.

But just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. Strategic growth is about knowing where to put your energy and where not to.

That's something I think about every day in my own business and when advising the brands and leadership teams I work with.

What are you choosing to prioritise in your business right now?

HARVEY NICHOLS + FRASERS GROUP
The news that Frasers Group has acquired Harvey Nichols caught my attention - not just because of what it means for British luxury retail, but because Harvey Nichols was an important part of my own career.

Earlier in my career, I worked in Dubai for Al Tayer Group as Head of Buying & Merchandising for Harvey Nichols.

I remember sourcing brands for Harvey Nichols at Mall of the Emirates and being part of an exciting period in Dubai's luxury retail development.

It was a very progressive move at the time bringing luxury beauty into a department store environment and creating a destination where consumers could discover new brands alongside established luxury names.

And that's what I've always found interesting about Harvey Nichols. It was never simply about selling products. It was about discovery, experience, newness and desirability.

But luxury retail has changed enormously.
Consumers discover brands through social media.
Digital has transformed how people shop.
Luxury distribution has evolved.
And physical retail has to give consumers a reason to walk through the doors.

So the big question for me is: What does Harvey Nichols need to become for the next generation of luxury consumers?

I don't think the answer is simply more commercial.

I think it's more relevant.
More inspiring.
More experiential.
More connected to how consumers discover and engage with brands today.

And, importantly, still distinctive enough to feel like Harvey Nichols. I'm fascinated to see what Frasers Group does next.

If you were running Harvey Nichols, what would you change — and what would you absolutely protect?

BUILDING BETTER BEAUTY BUSINESSES
This week's insight: Sometimes the right opportunity at the wrong time is still the wrong opportunity.

After more than 20 years working in beauty, I've learned that timing matters enormously.

A product can be brilliant, but launched too early.
A market can be attractive, but the business may not be ready.
A retailer can be perfect, but the brand may need more time to build demand.

I've seen businesses chase opportunities simply because they were available. But opportunity and readiness aren't always the same thing.

Sometimes the best advice you can give a founder isn't: "Go for it."
It's: "Not yet. Let's get you ready first."

Knowing when to move is important.
Knowing when to wait can be just as valuable.

BUILDING BETTER BEAUTY BUSINESSES
This week's insight: A great beauty brand isn't necessarily a commercially attractive one.

I've seen beautiful brands with fantastic products struggle to grow.
And I've seen relatively simple propositions become incredibly successful businesses.
Why?

Because commercial attractiveness comes from more than the product.
It comes from the combination of:
✨ A clear customer
✨ A compelling proposition
✨ Strong margins
✨ Repeat purchase potential
✨ A scalable route to market
✨ A brand people want to engage with
✨ A business model that makes sense

This is why I always encourage founders to look at their brand through a commercial lens.

Would your business still be attractive if someone looked beyond the product and examined the numbers, the customer and the growth opportunity?

That's where good strategy starts.

BUILDING BETTER BEAUTY BUSINESSES
This week's insight: More isn't always more.

One of the things I see regularly with growing beauty brands is a temptation to do everything at once.

More products.
More retailers.
More markets.
More collaborations.
More marketing.

But growth doesn't always come from adding more. Sometimes it comes from doing less, better.

Before adding another product or entering another market, I'd ask:
✨ Is this genuinely moving the business forward?
✨ Do we have the resources to do it properly?
✨ Will it strengthen the brand or dilute it?
✨ What would happen if we focused on our biggest opportunity instead?

The strongest brands aren't necessarily the ones doing the most. They're often the ones with the clearest priorities.

What would happen if you focused on your single biggest growth opportunity for the next six months?

Building Better Beauty Businesses
This week's insight: Every store visit is market research.

Whenever I walk into a beauty retailer, the first thing I look at isn't the products.

It's the customer.

Where do they stop?

What do they pick up?

Which displays capture their attention?

What do they walk past?

Consumer behaviour tells us far more than sales reports alone.

It shows us what attracts attention, what creates curiosity and what influences purchasing decisions.

The next time you're in a beauty retailer, spend five minutes observing before you start shopping.

You'll see your brand and your competitors through a completely different lens.

What have you noticed in-store recently that surprised you?

Building Better Beauty Businesses
This week's insight: Scaling a business requires a different mindset to starting one.

Launching a beauty brand is about proving your idea.

Scaling a beauty brand is about building a business.

That means asking different questions.

Instead of: "How do we launch?"

You begin asking:
✨ How do we grow sustainably?
✨ Which markets should we prioritise?
✨ Is our team structured for growth?
✨ Where should we invest next?
✨ What systems need to evolve?

Growth isn't simply about increasing sales.

It's about building a business that can support those sales.

The founders who scale successfully understand that today's decisions shape tomorrow's opportunities.

What has been the biggest mindset shift you've experienced as your business has grown?

Building Better Beauty Businesses
This week's insight: Growth isn't just about what you say yes to. It's also about what you choose not to do.

One of the biggest shifts I see in successful beauty founders is learning when to say no.

No to launching another product too soon.
No to entering a market before the business is ready.
No to partnerships that don't align with the brand.
No to opportunities that distract from the long-term vision.

In the early stages of a business, saying yes creates momentum.

As your business grows, saying no protects it.

The strongest brands aren't trying to be everything to everyone.

They're focused.

They're intentional.

And they're disciplined about where they invest their time, energy and resources.

Sometimes the most strategic decision you can make is deciding what not to pursue.

What's one thing you've said "no" to recently that has helped your business stay focused?

If you're navigating growth and need an independent perspective, I'd be happy to have a conversation.