James Lamb

Every successful beauty brand starts with a great idea, but the difference between a concept and a commercial hit is execution.

I help you take new product ideas from early insight to launch, ensuring they align with your brand promise, resonate with consumers, and perform in-market.

Typical work includes:

• Trend and category mapping
• Concept testing and consumer validation
• Naming, positioning and claims strategy
• Portfolio planning and launch sequencing
• Go-to-market alignment and rollout plans

Outcome: products that fit your brand story, meet consumer demand, and strengthen your overall portfolio,  not cannibalise existing products or just add noise.

As your range grows with new products, sub-lines and limited editions, clarity becomes essential.

Brand architecture brings structure to your portfolio so customers immediately understand what each product does, and how it fits within your brand’s world.

Typical work includes:

• Masterbrand vs. sub-brand strategy
• Product line hierarchy and naming conventions
• Ingredient or benefit-driven segmentation
• Relaunch and range rationalisation frameworks

Outcome: a clear, scalable brand structure that simplifies decision-making, supports growth, and strengthens recognition across all channels.

Packaging is the first and most powerful brand touchpoint in beauty.

It communicates your story, your values, and your quality, often in a split second.

I help brands create packaging strategies that balance design, functionality, sustainability and commercial viability.

Typical work includes:

• Packaging strategy and creative briefing
• Messaging hierarchy and copy direction
• Material and sustainability guidance
• Shelf and digital presence optimisation
• Collaboration with design and production partners

Outcome: packaging that’s visually striking, on-brand, and conversion-driven, whether it’s on a retail shelf, an influencer’s vanity, or an Instagram feed.

In a crowded category, customers don’t just buy ingredients, they buy aspiration.

Your brand story should feel both aspirational and authentic, with a clear emotional hook that connects.

Typical work includes:

• Defining purpose, promise and point of difference
• Audience segmentation and insight development
• Core messaging and tone of voice
• Storytelling frameworks for campaigns and product launches

Outcome: a brand narrative that people feel, clear enough to guide your team, consistent enough to build loyalty, and strong enough to inspire repeat purchase.

From packaging to social, from retail to influencer collaborations, your identity needs to feel cohesive and credible everywhere.

I help refine or brief visual and verbal identities that reflect your strategy and connect with the right audiences.

I work in conjunction with trusted partners on:

• Brand identity briefing and creative direction
• Tone of voice and messaging consistency
• Visual system and photography guidance
• Rollout and usage frameworks for teams and partners

Outcome: a recognisable, ownable brand identity that feels elevated, consistent, and ready to scale.

When operating internationally, representation matters.

I ensure your brand is accurately and credibly represented with partners, retailers, and agencies — protecting your equity and positioning at every level.

Typical work includes:

• Acting as the primary commercial liaison for brand partners
• Presenting brand strategy and performance to retailers and distributors
• Supporting trade events, launches and partnership negotiations
• Maintaining alignment between global HQ and local markets

Outcome: professional, consistent representation that reinforces your brand story and builds long-term trust.

Every market operates differently in pace, partners, consumers and culture.

Country Management ensures that your brand is represented consistently and performs effectively in each one.

Typical scope includes:

• Overseeing brand operations and sales performance in-market - Including; recruitment, HR, Training
• Coordinating distributors, fulfilment partners, retailers and agencies
• Managing pricing, promotional activity and local marketing
• Ensuring compliance with brand standards and strategy
• Providing regular commercial and performance reporting

Outcome: a clear, controlled view of a market’s performance, with local execution aligned to global strategy.

Successful brand management depends on great relationships, built on clarity, mutual trust and accountability.

I help develop and maintain productive partnerships that deliver real results.

Typical work includes:

• Distributor, retailer and agency relationship management
• Attending quarterly business reviews and joint planning sessions
• Contract and terms negotiations
• Conflict resolution and partner evaluation frameworks

Outcome: strong, transparent partnerships where both sides win. 

Unlike Country management and Brand representation, this role sits as an intermediary between the 2 parties to ensure the best possible outcome. Internal resource is required to ensure any sales and marketing materials are available upon request. 

Commercial agreements set the tone for how your brand is handled, and how profit is shared.

I help brands structure and negotiate contracts that protect value while enabling sustainable growth with partners.

Typical work includes:

• Distributor and retailer contract negotiation
• Terms of trade, pricing and margin structures
• Performance clauses and brand protection mechanisms
• Renewals, extensions and exit planning

Outcome: fair, strategic agreements that support your brand’s commercial goals and protect your reputation in-market.

Growth demands structure, but the right kind is important, this isn't one size that fits all.

I help design organisational frameworks that support your strategy, eliminate duplication, and clarify accountability.

Typical work includes:

• Current state assessment and organisational mapping
• Defining roles, responsibilities and reporting lines supported with job descriptions to ensure accountability
• Designing scalable structures for future growth
• Succession and leadership planning

Outcome: a clear, future-proof organisational model that supports both performance and culture.

Efficiency isn’t about doing more, it’s about removing what slows you down.

We identify operational friction points and streamline processes, communication and decision-making across the business.

Typical work includes:

• Process review and optimisation
• Workflow simplification and system alignment
• Cross-functional collaboration improvements
• Decision-making frameworks and escalation paths

Outcome: faster execution, fewer bottlenecks, and a team focused on meaningful work.

Sometimes growth or change requires rethinking how the organisation is set up. We help founders and leadership teams identify improvements, ensure the right people are in the right roles and recommend restructuring processes that are strategic, transparent and human.

Typical work includes:

• Structure and capability reviews
• Team reorganisation and communication planning
• Change management and leadership support
• Role definition and redeployment strategies

Outcome: a leaner, clearer organisation aligned with current priorities, without losing cultural integrity or momentum.

Hiring well is one of the most powerful growth levers a brand can pull.

I help define the roles, skills and structures needed to scale effectively and work directly with recruiters to attract the right people to fill them.

Typical work includes:

• Headcount planning and job design
• Hiring frameworks and process setup
• Interview structure and evaluation tools
• Role prioritisation by growth stage

Outcome: a considered approach to recruitment that put people and culture first

Early decisions determine whether you scale or stall. I work with start-up teams to define the right market focus, validate assumptions quickly, and build a foundation for traction.

Typical work includes:

• Market analysis and prioritisation
• Value proposition and positioning development

Outcome: clarity on where to play, how to win, and what to build first.

A go-to-market plan bridges product and revenue. Whether you’re launching a new product or entering a new segment or market, I help design a strategy that aligns product, sales and marketing around a clear path to customer acquisition.

Typical work includes:

• Ideal customer profile 
• Channel and market analysis
• Launch and activation strategy
• Budget & P&L assumptions

Outcome: an adaptable framework built on insight, not guesswork.

Growth depends on getting your product into more hands, efficiently. I develop scalable distribution strategies that balance direct sales, partnerships, and integrations.

Typical work includes:

• Channel and partner analysis
• Platform and marketplace entry and prioritisation
• Introductions or relation management

Outcome: a predictable, diversified revenue pipeline that balances scalability and margin protection.

Pricing determines perception, positioning, and profitability. I help companies build and test value-based pricing that supports growth and aligns with customer segments.

Typical work includes:

• Pricing model and tier design
• Value-based and competitive benchmarking
• Discounting and packaging frameworks

Outcome: pricing that maximises adoption and margin, and can scale as you grow.

The right strategy starts with a product that solves the right problem. I work with founders and product teams to align roadmaps with market demand and build defensible positioning.

Typical work includes:

• Product - market fit assessment
• Competitive landscape mapping
• Differentiation and value proposition design
• Feature prioritisation and roadmap alignment

Outcome: a product narrative that customers understand and creates a pipeline of future opportunity for growth.

Founder Mentoring

Building a company is a constant balance between vision, execution and survival.

Founder mentoring gives you a trusted, confidential sounding board, someone who’s been there, to help you make clearer decisions, move faster, and stay focused on what matters most.

I work with founders across all stages, from early product validation to scaling leadership teams. Sessions are practical, honest and tailored to your goals, not theory or frameworks.

Running a business can be isolating. Having a mentor means you don’t have to make big decisions in a vacuum.

Together we’ll turn complexity into clarity, sharpening priorities, testing assumptions, and keeping your energy where it has the most impact.

Areas I typically support:

• Defining and refining vision and strategy
• Managing growth, hiring and delegation
• Navigating investor relationships and fundraising
• Setting priorities and focus under pressure
• Improving communication, decision-making and leadership confidence

You’re defining your market, building a product, and searching for traction all at once. Mentoring helps you avoid common early mistakes and focus on what moves the needle. Typical topics:

• Product - market fit and early validation
• Founder -  building a personal profile 
• Building your first team and culture
• Early customer acquisition and market readiness

You’ve found traction, now you need scale and structure. I help founders navigate the transition from “doing everything” to leading through others and building systems, teams, and rhythm.

Typical topics:

• Scaling operations and leadership structure
• Managing investors and board expectations
• Hiring and empowering senior talent
• Maintaining clarity through growth and change
• Managing complex internal situations
• Balancing the role of founder/creator with decision making that unlocks growth

Every founder is different so mentoring should be, too.

I offer flexible, confidential support designed to fit around your schedule and objectives.

How it works:

• Intro Call (30 minutes): to understand goals and challenges
• 1:1 Mentoring Sessions (60 minutes): structured but conversational, focused on outcomes
• Follow-up Notes: summarising actions, frameworks, and resources
• Ongoing Check-ins: as needed, to keep momentum

Mentoring can run as a short engagement (4-6 sessions) or ongoing advisory support as your company grows.

I’ve worked with founders and leadership teams from early-stage SaaS and consumer startups to established scale-ups.

My approach blends strategic clarity with operational realism: what works, what doesn’t, and how to move forward fast.

Founders say they value the combination of:

• An experienced outside view
• Clear, structured thinking under pressure
• Honest feedback, without an agenda
• Practical tools and next steps, not just discussion

After mentoring, founders typically report:

• Clearer strategic focus and priorities
• Better communication with investors and teams
• Improved confidence in decision-making
• A more balanced and sustainable way to lead