In this episode, Lucy and Yasmine are back with more laughs, lessons, and a healthy dose of ecomm drama! The girls are sharing the biggest lessons they’ve learned the hard way while building businesses. They dive into the behind-the-scenes challenges of growing brands, hiring freelancers for the first time, and even what Molly-Mae’s viral TikTok brand fail can teach us all about quality control. This episode is packed with practical advice and the usual dose of hilarious mishaps. No guests today—just Lucy and Yasmine reflecting on everything from scaling operations to navigating a global workforce across time zones. Who Even Are You Guys? A question we ask ourselves daily, but here’s the official answer: Yasmine Cheikh: Co-Founder of Cloth Project, based in Dubai. Lucy Greenleaf: Founder of The Leaf Group, based in Hong Kong. Oh, and they’re both obsessed with ecommerce and building community. Hang On, I Want to Join Ecomm Girls Club! Love that for you! Slide into our DMs at @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram to find out more about joining the world’s best community for women in ecommerce. Where, May I Ask, Is This Mystical Ecomm Girls Club Located? We’re global, baby! While our roots are in London, our community is active across 7 countries and growing. We also run regular in-person meetups in our hubs: London, Hong Kong, and Dubai. What Is a Spotlight Session and How Can I Join One? Spotlight Sessions are free, interactive online events we run on a whole range of topics. They’re open to everyone—not just ecom girls. (Shoutout to Dave, our most loyal attendee!) Wait, Where Are You Guys? Lucy: Lives in Hong Kong but can usually be found on a Bali surfboard. Yasmine: Based in Dubai, often juggling 9 PM calls with morning beach walks. We Want to Collaborate with You! What’s the Best Way to Get in Touch? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at hello@ecommgirlsclub.com and let’s chat about how we can work together. #podcast #ecommerce #MOQ #branding #chinesenewyear #ecommgirlsclub #entrepreneurship #womensupportingwomen

In this episode, Lucy and Yasmine are asking the big question: Do I REALLY need to pay an agency to do that?!

From branding basics to paid media and everything in between, the girls share their experiences navigating the challenges of outsourcing versus doing it yourself. They dive into when it makes sense to work with agencies or freelancers, how to avoid getting burned, and why you should always understand the services you're hiring for.

Plus, they discuss their biggest lessons learned from building their own brands, the importance of a strong creative engine for ads, and why trusting your gut when hiring is key.

No guests today—just Lucy and Yasmine bringing you the ultimate real talk on how to grow your business without wasting time or money.

Who Even Are You Guys?

A question we ask ourselves daily, but here’s the official answer:

Hang On, I Want to Join Ecomm Girls Club!

Love that for you! Slide into our DMs at @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram to find out more about joining the world’s best community for women in ecommerce.

Where, May I Ask, Is This Mystical Ecomm Girls Club Located?

We’re global, baby! While our roots are in London, our community is active across 7 countries and growing. We also run regular in-person meetups in our hubs: London, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

What Is a Spotlight Session and How Can I Join One?

Spotlight Sessions are free, interactive online events we run on a whole range of topics. They’re open to everyone—not just ecom girls. (Shoutout to Dave, our most loyal attendee!)

Wait, Where Are You Guys?

We Want to Collaborate with You! What’s the Best Way to Get in Touch?

We’d love to hear from you! Email us at hello@ecommgirlsclub.com and let’s chat about how we can work together.

#podcast #ecommerce #branding #freelancers #paidmedia #ecommgirlsclub #entrepreneurship #contentmachine #womensupportingwomen

In this episode, Yasmine and Lucy dive into the big questions about starting and scaling a side hustle into a full-blown e-commerce business. Whether you’re dreaming of launching your first Shopify store or turning a passion project into profit, this episode is packed with actionable tips, relatable stories, and honest insights. From defining your “why” to avoiding the perfection trap, they share lessons learned from their own journeys and highlight the importance of community and persistence. Plus, the girls reflect on the incredible growth of Ecomm Girls Club this year and reveal big plans for 2025 (hint: vision boards and retreats are involved!). What We Talked About Defining Your “Why”: Why passion is critical for persistence and how your motivations don’t need to be profound. Progress Over Perfection: The power of starting now and adapting as you go—because nobody loves their first version! The Numbers Game: Why understanding your costs, margins, and cash flow is non-negotiable for long-term success. Lessons From Our Journeys: How Lucy and Yasmine accidentally (and intentionally) ended up in e-commerce. Community Is Key: The value of surrounding yourself with like-minded women who understand the grind. Top Tips for Starting Your E-Commerce Journey Just Start: No one loves their first product, logo, or website—but progress beats perfection every time. Define Your Why: Find what motivates you, whether it’s freedom, creativity, or financial independence. Do the Math: Everything will cost more and take longer than you think—so plan for it! Test and Adapt: Don’t assume you know what your customer wants—let them guide you. Find Your People: Join a community (like Ecomm Girls Club!) to combat loneliness and learn from others. Avoid the Guru Trap: Most skills can be learned online or through trial and error—no need to spend thousands. Comparison Is the Thief of Joy: Focus on your progress, not someone else’s Instagram highlight reel. What’s Next for Ecomm Girls Club? 2025 is shaping up to be huge! Think vision boards, retreats, and more intimate events that bring our global community even closer together. Stay tuned for announcements, and if you’d like to sponsor an event or collaborate, we’d love to hear from you! Who Even Are We? Yasmine Cheikh: Co-Founder of Cloth Project (clothproject.co) Lucy Greenleaf: Founder of The Leaf Group (theleafgroup.io) Both are passionate about e-commerce, community building, and creating space for women to thrive in business. Stay Connected with Us Ecomm Girls Club: @ecommgirlsclub Yasmine: @yasminecheikh Lucy: @lucygreenleaf_ Get Involved! Love what you heard? Join the Ecomm Girls Club community and connect with like-minded women across the globe. 📧 Email us: hello@ecommgirlsclub.com 📍 Events: London, Hong Kong, Dubai, and more! Sponsor Shoutout We’re on the hunt for sponsors to help elevate our podcast production. If you’re interested, drop us a line—we’d love to collaborate! Thanks for listening, and see you in 2025! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode. 🎉