The difference between starting a brand vs. scaling an established one

In this episode of Abandoned Cart, Adam sits down with Aithne Synnot, founder of Empreva Lingerie and Head of E-commerce at Josh Wood Colour, to explore the realities of building a brand from scratch versus scaling an established one.

Aithne shares the deeply personal story behind Empreva Lingerie - created to empower women after breast reconstruction and how that mission shaped everything from product design to marketing. Alongside this, she offers a behind-the-scenes look at scaling a global beauty brand, revealing what actually works (and what doesn’t) in today’s e-commerce landscape.

From founder-led content and scrappy social strategies to the truth about paid ads and product launches, this episode is packed with honest, practical insights for anyone building or growing a brand.

If you’re navigating the early stages of a startup or trying to scale with intention, this conversation will challenge how you think about growth, community, and showing up.

Key Topics CoveredThe story behind Empreva Lingerie and building a brand rooted in personal purposeWhy “embarrassment is the cost of success” and how it unlocks growthThe difference between starting a brand vs. scaling an established oneHow to approach social media when you have zero brand equityFounder-led content and why it consistently outperformsOrganic vs. paid ads and when not to spend moneyThe right way to launch a product (and why most brands get it wrong)Using community feedback to shape brand identity and product developmentThe power of UGC and why you shouldn’t overpay for contentLessons from scaling Josh Wood Colour and selling out product launches

Connect with Aithne Synnot

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aithne-synnott-41a9a637/

Connect with &Allies

To discuss how we can help your brand grow, visit:

https://www.andallies.co.uk