The Success Story of Amy and Odd Muse: A Journey from £12,000 to £24 Million Valuation

Amy quit her 9 to 5 job and started a fashion brand called Odd Muse. With £12,000 from her savings, she launched the brand, which now generates over £5 million a year. In the first three months, she made £100,000, and one dress alone grossed £1 million.

Odd Muse is a women's wear clothing brand that focuses on slowing down the fashion industry. It was launched in September 2020 and is valued at around £24 million.

Amy studied fashion buying at university, which provided her with the knowledge to commercialize products effectively. After working at Asos in a fashion buying role, she realized she wanted to start her own brand, leading to the inception of Odd Muse.

Amy saved £12,000 by doing freelance work, such as creating logos, after her job at Asos. Around £8,000 went into production, £2,000 into shipping and sampling, and the rest into stock. Finding manufacturers involved researching and having conversations with suppliers she associated with during her time at Asos.

On the first day of launch, despite facing delays in stock arrival, Amy received about five sales, equating to over £5,000. With only 500 Instagram followers at the time, she was thrilled with the initial response to Odd Muse.

The speaker quickly gained attention on social media by launching a pre-order for Blazers without having the units in stock, making around £15,000 on the first day and £56,000 on the second day. This strategy allowed them to scale revenue without any investment, leading to £100,000 in the first three months.

Despite launching an eight-piece collection, only the Blazer sold initially, emphasizing the transformative power of one successful product. The speaker highlights how a single product can significantly impact a business, as seen in the case of the Blazer and later the pel dress that grossed £1 million, boosting yearly revenue to £1.5 million.

The speaker recounts how a major influencer, laa LS, inadvertently promoted their brand after a fast fashion company copied their Blazer. A viral Twitter post led to influencers buying from the speaker's brand, demonstrating the power of organic influencer marketing and the importance of creating products that influencers genuinely want to wear.

The speaker strategically chose Covent Garden for their store location due to its appeal to US customers and high tourist footfall. The decision to open a physical store was driven by a desire to differentiate from e-commerce competitors and gain a competitive edge, enhancing the brand's presence and customer experience.

The speaker discusses the importance of protecting direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales while strategically expanding into wholesale partnerships. With recent launches in Harvey Nichols and David Jones, the focus remains on nurturing key markets like Australia and the Middle East, aiming to maintain a balance between wholesale and direct sales to enhance the overall customer experience.

In the first three months, the business made £100,000. By the first year, the revenue reached £440,000. In 2023, the revenue surged to just under £6 million, with over £1 million in profit. Since opening in November 2023, the store has grossed £650,000.

Email marketing has been a significant revenue driver, contributing over 60% of the total revenue. Other tools like paid marketing on platforms such as TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, and Google ads make up the remaining 40%.

The business focuses on organic reach, with around 630,000 followers on Instagram aiming to reach a million followers by October. Leveraging social platforms has led to a strong return on ad spend, contributing to the business's profitability.

Initially targeting the US market, the business later expanded to capture the UK audience effectively. Currently, sales are split around 60% in the UK and 40% in the US, with a strategic approach to market growth in each region.

The business fulfills around 10,000 orders per month, reflecting a high volume of sales and operational efficiency.

The biggest overhead cost is stock, reflecting the importance of inventory management. The founder started paying themselves from profits in 2022 after reaching £1.5 million in revenue, reinvesting heavily in stock and business growth.

The founder hired their first employee six months into the business, gradually expanding the team to around 35 members across various functions like store, buying, marketing, and customer service.

The business achieved record-breaking launch days, grossing £250,000 last year and £380,000 this year. The most recent launch day resulted in a staggering £500,000 in revenue, showcasing the business's growth and marketing effectiveness.

Social media marketing, with the founder actively involved in content creation, has been a key strategy driving the business's growth to millions in revenue. Leveraging social platforms effectively has been instrumental in achieving significant milestones.

Amy mentions that she quit her job to start her business, emphasizing the importance of having a compelling story for customers. Initially focusing on social media, she later transitioned to paid marketing, which significantly boosted revenue.

Amy attributes the growth of her social media following to showcasing the brand's personality, story, and high-quality products. Viral moments, especially on Instagram and TikTok, have played a crucial role in expanding the brand's reach.

Despite achieving millions in revenue within four years, Amy faced challenges such as inadequate warehouse space and customer service issues in the initial stages. She acknowledges the importance of addressing these challenges to sustain growth.

Amy envisions expanding OD Muse internationally with flagship stores in key locations like New York, Los Angeles, and Australia. She aims to continue growing the direct-to-consumer (DTC) aspect of the business.

Amy advises aspiring clothing brand owners to start taking action immediately, even with limited funds. She highlights the importance of beginning the design and manufacturing process early, emphasizing that starting small and gradually building up is key to success.