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. 🎉

In this episode, Lucy and Yasmine are back for Season 2 of the Ecomm Girls Club podcast! They’re spilling the tea on the chaos of podcast mishaps (looking at you, unpressed record buttons) and reflecting on how much their lives and careers have shifted since the summer break. From scaling businesses to managing burnout, this episode is packed with honest chats about finding balance, redefining success, and navigating the holiday season hustle.

Plus, the girls give an exciting update on the thriving Ecomm Girls Club community—including upcoming events like the London Festive Finale Dinner—and share tips for making the most of Q4 while planning for an epic 2025.

No guests today—just Lucy and Yasmine catching up and bringing you all the real talk about ecom life, personal growth, and what’s next for Ecomm Girls Club.

Who Else Were You Chatting About?

• Ecomm Girls Club: London Festive Finale Dinner happening on December 17th. 🎄

• Grace Beverley: For her time-blocking method that’s keeping Yasmine sane this Q4.

Who Even Are You Guys?

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

• Yasmine Cheikh: Co-Founder of Cloth Project (⁠clothproject.co⁠).

• Lucy Greenlead: Founder of The Leaf Group (⁠theleafgroup.io⁠).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 #ecommgirlsclub #community #worklifebalance #entrepreneurship #q4 #womensupportingwomen

In this episode, we’re chatting with Nicole Denholder and Christine Yu about the challenges women face when it comes to getting VC funding and angel investment. We dig into why female founders receive less funding and share some practical tips on how women can start investing, even if they don’t have a big budget. Plus, we talk about how Taylor Swift’s genius at lead generation can actually inspire entrepreneurs. If you’re looking to learn more about funding, investing, or just leveling up your financial skills, you’ll love this conversation! Who else were you chatting about? DTC brands that Nicole and Christine love: ⁠https://retykle.com/⁠ ⁠https://nakedlab.com/⁠ ⁠https://re-vityl.com/⁠ Ollie founded by Rithika Gupta. And the incredible Taylor Swift! Who even are you guys? A question we sometimes ask ourselves x Just joking, find us on Instagram @lucycg and @yasminecheikh. Yasmine is the Co-Founder of Cloth Project: ⁠https://clothproject.co/⁠ Lucy is the Founder of The Leaf Group: ⁠https://www.theleafgroup.io/⁠ …aaaand they are both obsessed with ecommerce. Wait, who was your guest? Well we had TWO for you this week - Nicole Denholder and Christine Yu , the founders of Sophia! IG: @thesophiawomen Website: ⁠https://www.sophiawomen.com/⁠ Hang on, I want to join Ecomm Girls Club? If that is the case, we kindly request you slide into the DM’s @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram where you can find out more about joining the world’s best community for girls in ecommerce. Where, may I ask, is this mystical Ecomm Girls Club located? We are international BABY. Our community is connected across 7 countries and counting, but we regularly run in-person meetups in our main bases: London, Hong Kong and Dubai. What is a Spotlight Session and how can I join one? We run regular online interactive events, for free on a whole range of topics called Spotlight Sessions! EVERYONE is welcome, you don’t need to be an ecomm girl or even a girl at all, in fact, there’s a guy called Dave who has a 100% attendance record. Wait, where are you guys? Hong Kong is home for Lucy, and Yasmine lives in Dubai. We both grew up in the UK, but are both flight risks, evidently. We want to collaborate with you, what is the best way to get in touch? That sounds FUN, and we would love to hear about it! Email us at ⁠hello@ecommgirlsclub.com⁠

Is going viral all that it is painted out to be? In this episode, we’re joined by Celeste Hartley, a branding pro and viral poet who’s been making waves on TikTok. You might know her from her poem "Ladiez" about the magic of a girls' group chat, which blew up with 2 million views in just 24 hours (and yep, she wrote it in A&E!).

Celeste spills the tea on what it’s like going viral—both the highs and the hate, like that time her TikTok about flying to Spain for a Hinge date made headlines in the Daily Mail. She also shares her best tips for cracking TikTok and why she believes you’re just one brave decision away from changing your life. Don’t miss it! Who were you chatting to this time? The amazing Celeste Hartley! Who else were you chatting about? Celeste's business ⁠https://letterstomy.co.uk/⁠ Brand that Celeste loves ⁠https://hertilityhealth.com/⁠ Who even are you guys? A question we sometimes ask ourselves x Just joking, find us on Instagram @lucycg and @yasminecheikh. Yasmine is the Co-Founder of Cloth Project: ⁠https://clothproject.co/⁠ Lucy is the Founder of The Leaf Group: ⁠https://www.theleafgroup.io/⁠ …aaaand they are both obsessed with ecommerce. Wait, who was your guest? Celeste Hartley! IG: @celestehartley TikTok: @celestehartley0 Website: ⁠https://letterstomy.co.uk/⁠ Hang on, I want to join Ecomm Girls Club? If that is the case, we kindly request you slide into the DM’s @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram where you can find out more about joining the world’s best community for girls in ecommerce. Where, may I ask, is this mystical Ecomm Girls Club located? We are international BABY. Our community is connected across 7 countries and counting, but we regularly run in-person meetups in our main bases: London, Hong Kong and Dubai. What is a Spotlight Session and how can I join one? We run regular online interactive events, for free on a whole range of topics called Spotlight Sessions! EVERYONE is welcome, you don’t need to be an ecomm girl or even a girl at all, in fact, there’s a guy called Dave who has a 100% attendance record. Wait, where are you guys? Hong Kong is home for Lucy, and Yasmine lives in Dubai. We both grew up in the UK, but are both flight risks, evidently. We want to collaborate with you, what is the best way to get in touch? That sounds FUN, and we would love to hear about it! Email us at ⁠hello@ecommgirlsclub.com

In this episode, Yasmin and Lucy dive deep into the complexities of hiring within the e-commerce industry. They share personal insights and experiences on hiring mistakes, effective strategies, and the importance of finding the right cultural fit. The hosts also explore the benefits and challenges of remote work, opting for freelancers, and the delicate balance between work flexibility and team cohesion.

The discussion broadens to encompass the highs and lows of their entrepreneurial journeys, including Yasmin's engaging venture into TikTok Lives and Lucy's passion for Chinese social media platforms. The hosts candidly address the frustrating notion of shadow banning on platforms like TikTok and the necessity of understanding paid media to avoid potential pitfalls when working with agencies.

Timestamps:

04:07 Took a chance on TikTok, saw potential.

07:07 Struggle with online platforms; seek influential connections.

12:03 China's Little Red Book is Instagram equivalent.

14:32 Western brands emerging in influencer marketing trend.

17:39 Highly demanding lifestyle, but worth it socially.

22:17 Experiences with hiring: different models, challenges.

22:56 Rushing hiring process leads to costly mistakes.

28:11 Found great worker after interviewing 30 candidates.

32:04 Podcast "The Operators" is advanced and interesting.

33:24 Understanding paid ads pivotal for ecomm success.

36:27 Hire experts for what you love doing.

40:43 Balancing work and freedom seems challenging.

42:15 Best talent works freelance for better income.

Hit the subscribe button on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform to stay updated, and join the conversation by searching for @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram. Follow Yasmin and Lucy for more behind-the-scenes content at @yasminecheikh and @lucycg.

- Who were you chatting to this time?

Each other, because we do that all the time anyway, so we thought we’d hit record.

- Who even are you guys?

A question we sometimes ask ourselves x

Just joking, find us on Instagram @lucycg and @yasminecheikh.

Yasmine is the Co-Founder of Cloth Project: https://clothproject.co/

Lucy is the Founder of The Leaf Group: https://www.theleafgroup.io/

…aaaand they are both obsessed with ecommerce.

- Hang on, I want to join Ecomm Girls Club?

If that is the case, we kindly request you slide into the DM’s @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram where you can find out more about joining the world’s best community for girls in ecommerce.

- Where, may I ask, is this mystical Ecomm Girls Club located?

We are international BABY. Our community is connected across 8 countries and counting, but we regularly run in-person meetups in our main bases: London, Hong Kong and Dubai.

- What is a Spotlight Session and how can I join one?

We run regular online interactive events, for free on a whole range of topics called Spotlight Sessions! EVERYONE is welcome, you don’t need to be an Ecomm girl or even a girl at all, in fact, there’s a guy called Dave who has a 100% attendance record.

- Wait, where are you guys?

Hong Kong is home for Lucy, and Yasmine lives in Dubai. We both grew up in the UK, but are both flight risks, evidently.

- We want to collaborate with you, what is the best way to get in touch?

That sounds FUN, and we would love to hear about it! Email us at hello@ecommgirlsclub.com

In this episode, Yasmin and Lucy dive deep into their complex relationship with Instagram, balancing its professional benefits with the personal pressures it brings.

They also explore different advertising strategies, emphasizing the effectiveness of user-generated content (UGC) and ethical considerations in ad campaigns. Throughout their discussion, they share personal stories about setting boundaries, their experiences as eldest daughters, and the challenges of running a creative agency.

The hosts discuss the importance of collaboration in creative processes and the competitive nature of agency work, highlighting the value of consistent innovation and maintaining a brand's integrity. They also touch upon the impact of their public presence on personal lives, particularly in dating and family dynamics, offering insights into how they navigate these challenges.

Timestamps:

00:00 Exploring organizational growth dynamics in brand work.

04:47 Working with premium brands, balancing branding and profit.

07:38 Ads pushing boundaries for short-term growth.

12:28 Meta now deems ads with 4+ exposures fatigued.

13:06 Get signed up for ads library platforms.

19:15 Embracing Instagram to share my experiences.

21:01 Used to focus on launching brands, not Instagram.

22:51 Close ones accept you; others' opinions don't matter.

26:29 Signs and traits of eldest daughter syndrome.

31:06 Developing people-pleasing tendencies through business experience.

34:22 Relating to Dad's business success, seeking guidance.

38:36 Recommendation for a podcast called The Operators.

39:54 Creative agency specializing in e-commerce, content performance.

44:29 Gratitude for UK privileges and education importance.

46:50 Enjoying Coke, pondering life and possibilities.

Hit the subscribe button on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform to stay updated, and join the conversation by searching for @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram. Follow Yasmin and Lucy for more behind-the-scenes content at @yasminecheikh and @lucycg.

- Who were you chatting to this time?

Each other, because we do that all the time anyway, so we thought we’d hit record.

- Who even are you guys?

A question we sometimes ask ourselves x

Just joking, find us on Instagram @lucycg and @yasminecheikh.

Yasmine is the Co-Founder of Cloth Project: https://clothproject.co/

Lucy is the Founder of The Leaf Group: https://www.theleafgroup.io/

…aaaand they are both obsessed with ecommerce.

- Hang on, I want to join Ecomm Girls Club?

If that is the case, we kindly request you slide into the DM’s @ecommgirlsclub on Instagram where you can find out more about joining the world’s best community for girls in ecommerce.

- Where, may I ask, is this mystical Ecomm Girls Club located?

We are international BABY. Our community is connected across 8 countries and counting, but we regularly run in-person meetups in our main bases: London, Hong Kong and Dubai.

- What is a Spotlight Session and how can I join one?

We run regular online interactive events, for free on a whole range of topics called Spotlight Sessions! EVERYONE is welcome, you don’t need to be an Ecomm girl or even a girl at all, in fact, there’s a guy called Dave who has a 100% attendance record.

- Wait, where are you guys?

Hong Kong is home to Lucy, and Yasmine lives in Dubai. We both grew up in the UK, but are both flight risks, evidently.

- We want to collaborate with you, what is the best way to get in touch?

That sounds FUN, and we would love to hear about it! Email us at hello@ecommgirlsclub.com