Work

Real businesses. Real challenges. Thoughtful marketing.

I work with businesses who care about doing things properly. They’re often growing, changing, or stuck somewhere in the middle and need clearer thinking, stronger foundations, or calm, experienced support to move forward.

Over the last year in particular, I’ve worked closely with eCommerce brands, independent retailers, service-based businesses, B2B consultancies and authors. Some projects are short and focused. Others evolve into long-term partnerships.

This page gives an overview of the types of clients I work with and how I support them. Below, you’ll find selected examples you can click into, followed by deeper case studies further down the page.

Featured client work

The Retail Champion

Retail consultancy, thought leadership & content ecosystem

Ongoing strategic and hands-on marketing support for a national retail consultancy. This includes website content, SEO-led blogs, LinkedIn content, podcast support, propositions and messaging across multiple services and audiences.

→ View website

→ View LinkedIn

ISP (Institute of Sales Professionals)

B2B marketing, clarity & structure

Support for a specialist B2B business needing clearer messaging, better structure and more confidence in how they present their services. Work focused on copywriting; simplifying the offer and strengthening credibility with the right audience.

→ View website

Aloura Apparel

eCommerce, SEO & brand-led content

Marketing and SEO support for a Scottish female-founded activewear start-up. Work included content strategy, Shopify design, SEO optimisation and copywriting to support growth, visibility and brand confidence.

→ View project

Beach Beauty

Local SEO, website content & service-led marketing

Support for a beauty and wellness business from digital presence, website GBP, flyers, signage and business cards. Focus on local SEO, website copy and marketing clarity to help attract the right clients and reduce reliance on social media alone.

→ View project

Other client work

Alongside the projects above, I’ve also worked with:

  • Fashion and activewear brands

  • Home and lifestyle eCommerce businesses

  • Designer pet brands

  • Furniture and paint retailers

  • Florists selling online and via subscriptions

  • Food and spice sellers

  • Haberdashery and craft shops

  • Beauty, wellness and treatment-led businesses

  • B2B consultancies and professional services

  • Business authors building personal brands

Some projects focus on fixing one specific problem. Others are about creating better systems and decision-making over time.

How I typically help

The work itself varies by client, but often includes:

There’s no fixed formula. Each business gets what it actually needs.

Case studies

Further down this page, you’ll find more detailed case studies showing:

  • the challenge a client was facing

  • what we focused on first

  • how things changed as a result

These are honest, practical examples rather than polished before-and-after stories.

 

Thinking about working together?

If you recognise your business somewhere in this mix, that’s usually a good sign.

You don’t need a perfect brief or a five-year plan. Most clients start with a conversation and go from there.

Get in touch and we’ll work out what would genuinely help.

Case Studies
Online and Event Based Food Business

Shopify migration, SEO & eCommerce optimisation

The challenge

Indian Curry Pot was a growing spice business with loyal customers, but their website was holding them back. Built on OpenCart, it was clunky, dated, and difficult to manage. Online orders weren’t converting as well as they should, recipes and product descriptions were inconsistent, and the overall experience didn’t reflect the quality of the food. They were also keen to grow and needed funding to do so.

What we focused on first

This was a referral project, so trust was already there — which meant we could move quickly.

We:

  • Supported the business with a successful grant application
  • Migrated the site from OpenCart to Shopify
  • Rewrote all recipes and product descriptions for clarity, SEO and conversion
  • Modernised the design and structure to improve user experience
  • Simplified the customer journey from browse to checkout

What changed

Traffic increased significantly, but more importantly, conversion rates improved drastically. Customers found it easier to order, products were clearer, and the website finally matched the brand. Shopify also gave the owners far more confidence and control day to day — less friction, better sales, and a platform ready to scale.
High Street Haberdashery Shop

Full Shopify rebuild, branding, EPOS & email automation

The challenge

Stitch Witch is a much-loved haberdashery shop with over 4,000 product lines. Their OpenCart website was slow, insecure and painful to manage. Stock control was a nightmare, the checkout felt outdated, and the brand no longer reflected the business they’d grown into.

What we focused on first

This referral project needed structure and calm — fast.

We:

  • Migrated 4,000+ SKUs from OpenCart to Shopify
  • Designed a new logo, brand identity and website layout
  • Implemented a new EPOS system to sync online and in-store stock
  • Built a far more secure, user-friendly checkout
  • Set up email automations to start properly building a customer database

What changed

The result was a huge leap in usability and confidence. Customers could finally shop easily online, checkout securely, and stay connected via email. Behind the scenes, stock management became simpler and more accurate. The business moved from “making do” to having a professional, scalable system that supports growth.
Independent Florist

First website, online orders & enquiries

The challenge

This florist had no website at all — everything was being handled manually. They wanted to offer online ordering for events such as wreath-making workshops and showcase their wedding and funeral work, but felt overwhelmed by the idea of getting started.

What we focused on first

This referral project was about building foundations.

We:

  • Created their first-ever website
  • Enabled online orders for workshops
  • Built clear galleries to showcase wedding flowers
  • Structured pricing and enquiry forms properly
  • Focused on clarity, simplicity and local SEO

What changed

Enquiries increased. Pricing confidence improved. Online orders started coming in without back-and-forth emails. And perhaps most importantly — stress levels dropped. The website started doing the explaining and selling for them.
Beautician (30+ years in business)

Repositioning, Shopify website & SEO

The challenge

A highly experienced beautician wanted to move away from lower-cost treatments and reposition towards higher-value aesthetic services. Her WordPress site wasn’t supporting that shift, bookings were manual, and SEO was weak.

What we focused on first

As a friend and long-standing business owner, this needed sensitivity and strategy.

We:

  • Migrated from WordPress to Shopify to support online booking
  • Repositioned the brand around premium, repeatable treatments
  • Improved SEO to attract the right kind of client
  • Structured services and messaging to reflect value, not volume

What changed

She is now fully booked, with higher-priced, repeatable treatments and far better-quality enquiries. Ongoing ad hoc support keeps things ticking over without overwhelm.
Fashion Boutique

Shopify setup, UX & ongoing support

The challenge

This boutique needed a Shopify store that felt trustworthy, easy to use and ready for growth — including launches, sales and customer reassurance around delivery and returns.

What we focused on first

Referral-based and fast-moving, we:

  • Set up a Shopify store with strong UX
  • Implemented customer reviews
  • Created clear delivery and returns policies
  • Provided ongoing ad hoc support for launches and promotions

What changed

The site felt professional and credible from day one. Customers had fewer questions, more confidence, and the owner had reliable support when it mattered most.
Calligrapher

Ongoing Shopify & SEO support (2+ years)

The challenge

A highly creative business owner was spending too much time worrying about marketing, SEO and seasonal updates — and not enough time creating.

What we focused on first

This long-term Shopify and SEO package focused on:

  • Ongoing SEO improvements
  • Regular blogging and seasonal optimisation
  • Keeping the site aligned with changing demand
  • Acting as a steady marketing partner, not a one-off supplier

What changed

Stress reduced. Visibility improved steadily. And the client was able to focus on producing beautiful work, knowing the marketing was handled. Two years on, the relationship continues because it works.

I’ve Been in Your Shoes (Literally, Behind the Counter)

Before I was a freelance marketing consultant, I was a shopkeeper for nearly ten years. (And before that I was in Marketing but that's another story!)

I opened the doors, worked the weekends, counted stock late at night and worried about VAT returns. I juggled suppliers, customers, pricing, margins, window displays and the constant question of how do I get more people through the door?

I didn’t just advise small businesses — I ran one.

I know what it feels like when marketing slips to the bottom of the list because you’re busy keeping the business afloat. When social media feels noisy, the website isn’t converting, and everyone has an opinion but no clear answers.

That experience shapes how I work today.

Everything I recommend is grounded in commercial reality — time, money and sanity all matter. I don’t do theory for theory’s sake or shiny strategies that fall apart in real life.

When I build websites, write copy or create SEO strategies, I’m always asking:

Would this actually work if I were still behind the counter?

Because marketing shouldn’t add pressure — it should remove it.

Would I have the time to maintain this?

Would this bring in sales — not just likes?

Because marketing shouldn’t add pressure. It should remove it.

Working with me means you’re not explaining your business to someone who’s never stood where you’re standing. I get it — the graft, the worry, the pride, the hope.

And that understanding shapes everything I do.

 Contact Steph