Scaling Growth in 2026: what we learned at our first event

So yesterday was our very first event. Scaling Growth in 2026, hosted with Balderton Capital in London. Here's the lowdown.

I was joined on stage by, on the surface, two very different brands:

• WILLY CHAVARRIA, represented by the awesome Nadia Khan
• PerfectTed, represented by the legend Bryn Hassan

What growth means in 2026

Firstly we defined what growth meant for them both this year. For WILLY CHAVARRIA that's been a focus on developing the brand itself and what the brand represents. For PerfectTed it's new customer acquisition.

Different goals, different categories, different price points. What connects the two is what's actually helped them grow in 2026.

What they have in common

Both brands:

• Focus on community: a sense of identity and belonging, and a real connection to the brand
• Have developed partnerships that propel the brand and help it grow. Whether it's adidas, ZARA or Lola's, these partnerships are doing real work for growth

The unlikely collaboration

One of the most interesting takeaways was about ZARA and Willy. On the surface the connection draws conflict. ZARA is mass-market and fast fashion; Willy is luxury and values-led.

But by pairing Willy's supply chain with ZARA's reach, you get a great product and far more people engaging with the mission. It really opened my eyes to the idea that unlikely collaborations might be some of the best.

Thank you

Special thanks to Krishan Sachdeva for his help organising, Adam Isfendiyar for the photography, and the whole Balderton team for the venue. And of course our awesome speakers, Nadia and Bryn.

More of these to come.