Episode #485 - Aligning Business With Values, To Create A Winning Marketplace - with Lorraine Allman

On this episode of ScaleUp Radio, Kevin Brent is joined by Lorraine Allman, a purpose-driven entrepreneur and the founder of Party Without Plastic – a marketplace for sustainable, plastic-free party supplies that launched in spring 2024 and is already on an exciting growth trajectory. Lorraine brings a wealth of experience to the conversation, having built and scaled multiple ventures. In this insightful and honest discussion, she shares the highs and lows of her journey so far, from funding challenges to transitioning from founder-led to team-based operations, all while keeping a firm eye on purpose, sustainability, and profit. In this episode, you’ll discover: How Party Without Plastic curates sustainable party products from UK-based small businesses Why building a scalable technical infrastructure took nine months – and was absolutely worth it The commission-based marketplace model that only charges sellers when sales are made Lorraine’s top tips for securing external investment, including aligning on values and vision The power of social proof, including accreditations like the Global Good Market, in customer acquisition The challenges of scaling a team, maintaining brand consistency, and managing time effectively Make sure you don’t miss any future episodes by subscribing to ScaleUp Radio wherever you like to listen to your podcasts. For now, continue listening for the full story from Lorraine. Scaling up your business isn't easy, and can be a little daunting. Let ScaleUp Radio make it a little easier for you. With guests who have been where you are now, and can offer their thoughts and advice on several aspects of business. ScaleUp Radio is the business podcast you've been waiting for. If you would like to be a guest on ScaleUp Radio, please click here: https://bizsmarts.co.uk/scaleupradio/kevin You can get in touch with Kevin here: kevin@biz-smart.co.uk   Kevin's Latest Book Is Available! Drawing on BizSmart’s own research and experiences of working with hundreds of owner-managers, Kevin Brent explores the key reasons why most organisations do not scale and how the challenges change as they reach different milestones on the ScaleUp Journey. He then details a practical step by step guide to successfully navigate between the milestones in the form of ESUS - a proven system for entrepreneurs to scale up. More on the Book HERE - https://www.esusgroup.co.uk/   Lorraine can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraineallman/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/party-without-plastic/ https://www.instagram.com/plasticfreeparty/ lorraine@partywithoutplastic.com   Resources: The Brand Is Female podcast - https://www.thebrandisfemale.com/ Let My People Go Surfing podcast - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6KgNYkTEcBqLboNzX2AkJS It Really Is Just Good Business By Jill Poet - https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/it-really-is-just-good-business-the-art-of-operating-a-responsible-ethical-and-profitable-small-business-jill-poet/7354896?ean=9781803411941