From Market Stalls to Major Retail: The Zea Growth Story
Building an ecommerce brand often starts with a great product and a loyal customer base. But scaling that brand introduces a whole new set of challenges, especially when growth starts to outpace cashflow.
In this episode of Add To Cart, Bushy sits down with Hayden Brass, founder of Zea, alongside David Carbines, co-founder of Cogsflow, to unpack the financial realities behind scaling a product brand.
Zea’s story begins in Tasmania with a family business selling health products at markets and shows. What started as a side project exploring the potential of Kunzea oil gradually evolved into a serious ecommerce brand with ambitions to reach millions of customers.
Today, Zea sells through ecommerce, major retailers and global marketplaces, but the path to get there was far from straightforward.
Today, we’re discussing…
- Why many ecommerce businesses chase growth before profit
- The cashflow challenges that appear when inventory needs scale
- How running out of stock can break a marketing funnel overnight
- Why inventory forecasting is one of the hardest skills in ecommerce
- How ecommerce brands fund inventory when traditional finance doesn’t fit
- Why financial literacy becomes critical as ecommerce brands grow
Chapters
0:00 – Introduction to Cogsflow and Zea
8:27 – The Growth Journey of Zea
13:06 – Building Financial Acumen
17:53 – Finding the Right Financial Partners
23:00 – The Future of Zea and Cogsflow
28:08 – Navigating Supplier Relationships and Inventory Management
32:52 – Understanding Payment Terms and Cashflow Dynamics
38:31– Overcoming Inventory Challenges for E-Commerce
43:09 – Reflections on Growth and Future Opportunities
Join us!
Come behind the scenes with Add To Cart Community: Join our crew of ecommerce operators chasing growth, sharing wins, and staying sharp with deep dives, live events and no-BS inspiration.
