Hi, I’m Mandy

I'm a hands-on entrepreneur and commercial operator and I thrive on strategic planning, operational execution and revenue growth and I'm not afraid to roll my sleeves up and get stuck in. If you're a founder or business ready to scale, I'm the person you want in your corner

Work with Me

I'm an entrepreneurial business leader with over 20 years of experience spanning South Africa, the United Kingdom, Belgium and Australia. I've built businesses from scratch, acquired and scaled them, and successfully exited across e-commerce, wholesale, B2B and B2C environments.

My career has taken an unconventional path: from primary school teacher in London, to anti-piracy operations across EMEA, to founding and running multiple businesses in the UK and Australia. That breadth is my advantage. I understand how businesses work at every level, from the customer experience at the front end to the systems, margins and operations that make growth sustainable..

Why Me?

Based in Sydney, but don't let that limit you , I'm flexible to travel, work remotely and open to permanent or contract positions. I work with founders and leadership teams who are serious about building something that scales and I'll do whatever it takes to get the job done.

$3M Revenue scaled from $154k within 5 years
10x Business exit return
4,000+ Customers acquired

Case Studies

Just For Mike Pty Ltd

I Launched a men's grooming brand from zero

Founder & Managing Director | Sydney, Australia | 2022–2026

1,000+

Customers within one year

$200k

Revenue within one year

$7.1B

Market size by 2030

The situation

The Australian men's grooming market was growing rapidly, yet the mainstream offering remained generic. I identified a genuine gap: men, particularly younger men, were underserved by a category dominated by products and environments designed for women. The opportunity was to create a brand experience purpose-built for them.

What I did

I founded Just For Mike: a male-focused grooming concept combining barber services with face and body treatments in a relaxed, retail-friendly environment. I developed a skin-careand hair product range from concept to launch, designed the full brand identity, customer experience and operational structure. I managed all aspects of the business including branding, marketing, supplier sourcing, on-boarding, policies and procedures, systems implementation and strategic planning for multi-location expansion.

The challenges

Launching a new category concept requires educating the market while simultaneously building operations and brand. Acquiring customers in a space where the target audience isn't actively looking for the product demanded creative, targeted marketing. Despite taking legal advice throughout the setup and trademark process, the business was impacted by a trademark dispute with a multinational corporation, a challenge that had nothing to do with commercial performance, but forced trading to cease.

The result

Over 1,000 customers and over $200k in revenue within the first year of trading, with strong repeat purchase rates, demonstrating clear product-market fit and genuine demand for the concept.

Fuzzy Kids Pty Ltd

I launched an e-commerce and wholesale distribution business

Founder & CEO | United Kingdom | 2008–2012

4,000+

Customers acquired

John Lewis

Wholesale partner secured

The situation

I launched Fuzzy Kids an ecommerce and wholesale platform importing high end children's clothing and footwear into the UK. I sourced manufacturers in South Africa and built the business entirely from scratch with no existing customer base supplier relationships or brand recognition. The focus was establishing credibility developing both direct to consumer and wholesale channels and scaling the business through strong supplier partnerships and targeted market positioning.

What I did

I built the brand end-to-end: sourcing manufacturing partnerships in South Africa, managing all import operations and cost control, implementing an early-stage e-commerce platform with a focus on conversion, and running paid acquisition through Google AdWords. I pursued and secured wholesale partnerships with premium independent retailers and John Lewis, one of the UK's most prestigious department stores. I structured the business around a VAT zero-rated product category to optimise pricing and margins from the outset.

The challenges

Building a premium brand on a bootstrapped budget requires ruthless prioritisation. Managing international supply chains, import logistics and quality control from the UK, while simultaneously building brand awareness and managing wholesale relationships demanded operational discipline across every function. Securing shelf space at John Lewis required demonstrating brand credibility an*+d commercial viability at an early stage.

The result

Grew from zero to £450k in revenue, acquired over 4,000 customers with strong repeat purchase rates, and secured a wholesale partnership with John Lewis. Successfully exited the business on relocation to Australia.

Swimming Pool Kits Direct Pty Ltd

Acquired a B2C business

Managing Director | Sydney, Australia | 2016–2021

$3M

Annual revenue

30%

Net profit margin

10x

Exit return

The situation

In 2016 I acquired Swimming Pool Kits Direct, a business delivering 70 pools per year and generating $154k in annual revenue. The business had no real systems, an underperforming website, and significant operational gaps that were limiting growth. Australia is the global leader in per-capita pool ownership, and the shift toward fiberglass pools was accelerating and the market opportunity was clear, but the business wasn't positioned to capture it.

What I did

I overhauled the business from the ground up. I implemented a CRM system to manage leads and reduce cost per sale. I rebuilt the website conversion funnel, improved the customer experience, and redesigned the marketing strategy to drive more efficient acquisition. I renegotiated supplier terms to improve margins and cash flow, sourced new suppliers, and built a multifaceted team across marketing, sales, operations and manufacturing achieving 100% staff retention throughout my tenure.

The challenges

Scaling a capital-intensive physical product business requires balancing growth investment with cash flow discipline. Managing a national customer base with high-value, high-trust purchases demanded tight operational controls and consistent customer experience at scale. Building a high-performing team while simultaneously transforming every function of the business was the central leadership challenge.

The result

Over five years, I grew the business to the delivery of over 200 pools per year and $3M in annual revenue with a 30% net profit margin. I exited via a trade sale within five years at 10 times the original purchase price, with an EBITDA of $900k.

Motion Picture Association

Regional Manager | Brussels, Belgium | 2005–2008

1M+

Units in single seizure

EMEA

Region covered

New

Role and function created

The situation

The film studios needed a dedicated operational function to coordinate anti-piracy activity across the EMEA region. Intelligence was fragmented, collaboration between studios and investigators was inconsistent, and there was no centralised system for tracking or acting on counterfeit distribution at scale.

What I did

I created and led a new function to bridge collaboration between major film studios and investigators across EMEA. I centralised intelligence gathering, built reporting systems, and supported stakeholders in identifying sources of counterfeit media distribution. I worked directly with international law enforcement to support raids and coordinated cross-functional operations across multiple countries and agencies.

The challenge

Operating across multiple jurisdictions, languages and legal frameworks required adaptability and strong stakeholder management. Building trust with law enforcement and studio stakeholders while creating a function that didn't previously exist required credibility, rigour and the ability to move quickly on time-sensitive intelligence.

The result

Delivered major counterfeit seizures including operations exceeding one million units and supported the shutdown of significant counterfeit distribution facilities. Established a durable operational function that strengthened studio-investigator collaboration across the region.

How I can help your business grow……

Operations

Operational Scaling
I help businesses build the systems, processes and operational infrastructure required to scale sustainably without losing margin, visibility or control. My focus is on creating clarity and structure behind the scenes so growth is intentional, measurable and commercially sound. I roll up my sleeves and get stuck in, working alongside teams to implement practical solutions rather than just providing high level strategy.

This includes implementing CRM platforms that enable effective customer acquisition, retention and lifecycle management. I tailor workflows that streamline operations, remove bottlenecks and ensure teams are working efficiently with clear accountability.

I create performance dashboards that give leadership real time insight into key metrics, enabling faster and more informed decision making. Beyond tools, I establish the operational foundations that support scale.

The outcome is a business that can grow with confidence, supported by systems that drive consistency, improve margins and maintain control as complexity increases.

Go to market

Go-to-Market Execution
From product market fit development through to launch, I lead end-to-end go to market execution for new products, business lines and market expansion. I work closely with founders and leadership teams to define the opportunity, validate demand, and build a structured pathway from concept to revenue.

This includes refining positioning and value proposition to ensure the offer is clear, differentiated and commercially viable. I identify target customer segments, define pricing and packaging and determine the most effective channels to reach and convert customers. I also work closely with marketing teams to shape go to market strategies, align messaging and develop campaigns that support awareness, acquisition and conversion.

I work on practical execution plans covering launch timelines, operational readiness, customer acquisition approach and internal alignment across teams. This can include coordinating brand development, customer journey design, sales enablement and channel rollout across digital, wholesale and partnership opportunities.

Post launch, I focus on performance tracking and optimisation, using data and customer feedback to refine positioning, improve conversion and accelerate growth. The result is a structured go to market approach that reduces risk, builds momentum quickly and drives sustainable revenue.

What I Bring

• Commercial strategy and revenue growth
• Business development and partnership building
• Operational systems design and scaling
• Go to market strategy and execution
• Customer acquisition and retention
• Data CRM and performance reporting
• Cross functional team leadership
• Business build from concept to launch
• Operational transformation and optimisation
• Strategic planning and execution
• Customer experience and journey design
• Supplier sourcing and commercial negotiation
• Scaling multi channel businesses
• The ability to implement written WHS procedures and policy documents that ensure regulatory compliance, protect people and embed operational safety standards across the business