How this couple’s sweet idea became a six-figure success
The founders of Sweetie Bouquets took an existing concept – bunches of sweets – and improved on it, to build a successful gifting business.
How Scott Miller built Sweetie Bouquets at a glance:
- Improve on an existing idea:
A business idea doesn’t have to be original, just better than the competition.
- Don’t undervalue yourself:
Putting up prices might not cost you customers.
- Choose tech partners wisely:
Clearpay helped increase average order value.
When Scott Miller’s wife Kelley presented him with a huge bouquet of sweets at Christmas one year, it sparked an idea. Kelley had been a stay-at-home mum to the couple’s two boys, but now that the youngest was in secondary school, she had been considering getting back to work. “She said, ‘I think I can have a go making and selling these…’”
The pair decided to embark on a husband-and-wife venture selling gift packages of sweets wrapped up in beautiful bouquets, some of which can contain 40 different components. They spent a few hundred pounds setting up Sweetie Bouquets and opened their (online) doors in time for Mother’s Day, 2017. “We sold 50 and I remember thinking ‘We’ve made it!’” Miller laughs.
At first, they were working from home, but soon the business took over – literally. “There were sweets in every drawer, in every cupboard and on the stairs,” Miller reminisces. Recognising they needed more space, the couple moved the business into a local shopfront.
When COVID-19 hit, people were desperate to buy presents for each other: “When people couldn’t see loved ones, they had a lot of emotion they wanted to express, so they sent gifts,” Miller says. “Ours were perfect – they really hit the spot.”
With business ramping up again, the business needed more space, and Sweetie Bouquets moved into the 4,000 sq ft warehouse they are now based in, with their core team of six increasing to 10 during busy periods. Revenue is now more than £600,000 – up 400 per cent in four years – with more than 25,000 products sold to around 50,000 customers.
But despite being a serial entrepreneur, Miller says that Sweetie Bouquets has taught him some valuable business lessons.
Don’t worry if the idea is already out there
The Millers were inspired by a product that was already on the market – which they then improved. “People often get put off developing something when another product already exists,” Miller explains, “but there are only so many ideas in the world. What’s important is innovating – and doing it better.”
"There are only so many ideas. What’s important is doing it better."
During their research phase, the couple bought from competitors to see what worked – as well as what didn’t – and realised that packaging was a key stumbling block. “We invested a lot of time and energy into getting the perfect adhesive, the right cables to hold it in place and the right courier company,” Miller says.
Price yourself correctly
In hindsight, one thing the couple should have done quicker, Miller admits, was put up prices. “We were trying to compete with the wrong people – those who would throw something together in five minutes, with less chocolate,” he explains. In fact, keeping prices low turned some customers off. “I remember one customer saying they wanted to spend £50 – at the time our top price was £30. They loved the product, loved the idea, but in their head, the person they were buying for was in a £50-price-bracket.” He says that when they did put up the prices (to reflect the time spent and the cost of materials) the business didn’t lose customers – “we just made more money...”
Know your figures
Miller – who has had several businesses – says it’s vitally important to know your numbers. “Don’t just let an accountant do it all for you without knowing what’s going on – you have to keep an eye on your profit margin. You need to take everything into account, then you know what you can afford.” For the Millers that meant scrimping on wages for themselves but hiring staff as soon as they could: “We were more interested in growth than personal gain in the short term.”
He admits they didn’t move premises soon enough, however. Ahead of Valentine’s Day 2019, they had to turn off orders because they couldn’t fulfil them, losing around £21,000 in sales. “That hurt,” he says, wryly.
Partnering with Clearpay
Miller says that taking on Clearpay has boosted sales: the average value of orders paid for by the buy now, pay later link on the site is up to 55 per cent higher than traditional payment methods. “I almost hate to let this secret out, but Clearpay has been transformative,” he says. “Customers are much more likely to buy – and spend more – using buy now, pay later methods. I think with the cost of living increasingly at the top of people’s minds, it’s going to become even more fundamental to the purchasing process.”
Miller admits that it hasn’t always been plain sailing and there are difficult times on the horizon, as costs rise (both running costs and stock), and customers look to cut back on spending. But, he says, “I love the business and I love that I get to work with my wife. We don’t always agree, but we get to spend all day with each other. We’ve created this business together and it’s changed our lives.”
All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Clearpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.
Categories