Meet Lucy Hitchcock, founder of Partner in Wine
I’m Lucy Hitchcock, founder of Partner in Wine.
I left my full time job at a corporate comms agency when I was 23 to start working with small businesses and influencers on their digital marketing.
I’ve been running Sassy Digital for six years now helping small businesses and influencers launch and build their ecommerce brands online through web design, branding and digital marketing. I’ve always dreamt of starting my own product or ecommerce brand because I know exactly the steps you must take to make it successful but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do….until we came out of lockdown one.
There’s always a lightbulb moment before the beginning of a new venture. What was that moment for you?
We don’t need to go back too far because it all happened not too long ago when I was on my way to have a socially distanced drink with my best friend Maddie. You may remember, we had pretty incredible weather for the UK during lockdown and after not seeing anyone for months, it was the perfect (and much needed) reason to go and sit in an outdoor space and catch up with friends. Cue me popping my favourite bottle of rosé in the basket of my bike, only to realise that by the time I got to see Maddie, my beloved wine would no longer be cold.
A self-proclaimed wine enthusiast, I was simply not willing to drink warm rosé. So my mum handed me an insulated wine bag that she’d been given as a promotional gift - it solved the problem but it was so not cool.
I debated pouring some of the rosé into my insulated water bottle - but that posed issues; firstly, it wasn't big enough to hold a whole bottle of wine and then I thought it may also make my water taste like wine...ew.
Surely, this is an issue many warm-wine haters must be experiencing I thought and after doing some research, I felt it was my duty to help wine and cold drink enthusiasts all over the UK keep their wine cool on the go - and so Partner in Wine was born.
I personally take my Partner in Wine to the beach, on holiday, by the river, even just dining al fresco because, (it means you don’t get wet hands each time you pick up a regular chilled bottle covered in condensation) - oh, and you’ll never find me at a hen-do without one!
So, get set to say hello to the Partner in Wine bottle and rejoice as it keeps your desired drink cold for 24 hours (or hot for 12 if that’s your thing). It also doesn't leak, is BPA free, and most importantly, it holds a full 750ml bottle of your all-time fave wine.
Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?
I am a very positive person...once I’ve had two black coffees. Usually iced. But I’ll try to also do exercise in the morning whether that’s a gym class, PT or walking my dog for an hour.
I also think I’ve mastered the art of working from home over the past six years. The key is to get ready as if you’re going to an office. I always try to put on a nice outfit and make myself feel presentable...even if I know I’m not going to see anyone else that day. It definitely makes me feel more productive!
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
Don’t be afraid of what people think - easier said than done but once you start doing things like posting on social media, talking to people about what you’re doing in real life, the quicker and easier it will be for your business to get going.
Make sure you’ve got your ‘elevator pitch’ nailed and I don’t mean the ‘I’ve got into a lift with bill gates’ pitch. I mean the one where someone asks what you do and you confidently tell them who your business is, what your business does, why it does it and where they can find you all in the space of a few sentences. Being able to confidently articulate what you’re doing can work wonders, especially for word of mouth!
How did you fund the launch of your business and what creative strategies did you use to execute a minimal cash flow?
Luckily, with a background in marketing I really didn’t have to spend much at all. I set the website and branding up myself within Sassy Digital, and then all that was left was spending money on stock and a few legal things like trademarks.
I would always tell my clients to try and DIY anything that they can, and save their money for the areas that they really struggle with. For a lot of people this is technology (building a website) or marketing (social media, photography etc), but you don’t have to spend a fortune on these things. You can ask friends and family for assistance, or find businesses like my marketing agency who offer a range of different services to help people starting businesses with different budgets!
Is it still possible to build a strong and successful business without social media. If yes or no, why?
I do believe that it is, but for ecommerce businesses social media is essential.
Prior to sharing a viral tik tok video 90% of our sales were coming via organic instagram traffic.
When Partner in Wine went viral on tiktok in March 2021 we achieved record-breaking sales. With over half a million views in just 12 hours, orders increased by over 1700% compared to the previous day, with an item selling every two minutes, resulting in a record 5 figure sales day. Not long after we confirmed the iconic retailer Selfridges as its first stockist.
Once you see figures like that you start to realise that ecommerce growth and social media marketing go hand in hand.
How much time do you spend on things that don’t add customer value?
Our customers are the backbone of our business. They tell us what colours they want next, and we’re always looking for fun surprises and little treats to delight them with, whether that’s a wine tasting on social media, or popping wine tasting cards into our packaging.
So really everything we do is to add customer value. You want to build the kind of relationship with them that keeps them coming back time and time again which means not only treating them, but actually speaking to them daily and creating personal connections.
Is word of mouth working to your advantage?
Absolutely! A message I see from our customers a lot on social media is that they’ve told their friends and family about it. I even got recognised in the street by someone who’d seen me on TikTok and she said she’d told her friends and family about it and they’d all bought one too. Social media is great, but word of mouth when you have a physical product is just as important.
Any moments where you thought you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?
When I was sat on the floor of my flat at the beginning of December packing up hundreds of orders. Logistics are not my strong point. I would wake up to pack orders and take them to the post office at 6am until starting work with clients at 9.30am, then after working a full day with my clients I’d be packing boxes until gone midnight.
Luckily I decided to move to a fulfillment center a few months before our viral video...
What do you think gives a brand longevity?
I always like to say building a brand is like building a house. If you give your brand good foundations from the start, it’s going to be quicker and easier to build.
This includes things like investing in branding itself, so that you’re not bored of it a few months down the line. You want people to say ‘I remember when you started your business’ in five years time, and your brand if done properly (logos, your fonts, colours, photography and tone of voice) will do just this.
I would also say the art of storytelling is so important. If your brand has a good story behind it, people are more likely to get on board. That’s exactly why Partner in Wine has experienced the growth it has in it’s first year: people got on board with how I started it due to a problem I faced during the pandemic that many other people were facing whilst pubs and bars were closed!
What impact would you like to have on women around the world through your business?
Ever since I left my job at 23, my aim has been to show women that they don’t have to follow the career path they are led to believe they have to. I was so unhappy when I worked for someone else, and I nearly accepted that this was just how work was. Everyone hates their job. But that’s really not true. We only live one life and so you should 100% be doing something that you live. Not only that but you can make a living for yourself whilst doing it.
