In this episode of Abandoned Cart, Adam sits down with Joe Munns, an experienced FMCG leader, entrepreneur and brand builder, and the founder of home baking business, Baked In.Joe shares the full story, from starting Baked In as a side hustle while working at IBM, to building an accredited food manufacturing operation and landing major retail listings. He opens up about the whirlwind pandemic boom that took the business from around £1m to nearly £5m in just nine months, and the lessons that followed as the business navigated funding pressure, operational complexity, and the realities of sustaining growth.A standout section of this episode is Joe’s early adoption of TikTok Shop, including what it actually took to make live selling work, how they used community to build momentum, and why TikTok Shop quickly became Baked In’s biggest D2C channel during peak periods.Expect a refreshingly honest conversation about:The best advice Joe ever received, and why “don’t stretch yourself too far” became a defining lessonBuilding Baked In from baking kits to a subscription vision, alongside retail and manufacturingThe hidden complexity of too many SKUs, too many channels, and not enough resourceWhat rapid pandemic growth really looked like behind the scenesHow Meta and Google supported subscription acquisition, and what changed post-pandemicThe power of community and how a Facebook group helped spark early momentumTikTok Shop in its early days: going live to tiny audiences, pushing through the awkward start, and finding a repeatable rhythmWhy QVC-style demos worked so well for Baked In, and what most brands get wrong when they quit too earlyHow super fans became moderators, created social proof in the comments, and helped convert new viewersBrand partnerships that improved margins (and the risks when values and perception clash)The TV ad experiment: what it taught Joe about top of funnel marketing and measurementInvestors, debt funding, and the tougher reality of raising capital during a slowdownThe personal impact of running a high pressure business, and what Joe would do differentlyWhat Joe is building now with Cutting Edge Golf, and his approach to sustainable growth this timeConnect with Joe:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmunns/Email: [email protected] with &Allies:To discuss how we can help your brand grow, visit www.andallies.co.uk

Ver todos los episodios