Paid Forward

About Paid Forward

Paid Forward is a channel about Paid Media, business life, and everything in between. Each episode features guests who share the lessons they’ve learnt (and the ones they’re still figuring out) — from ad strategies that actually work, to stories of rapidly scaling consumer brands, to the real challenges of building and running a business. Along the way, I’ll bring my own perspective from 15 years in paid media and 7 years of running an agency. The aim is simple: to pay it forward with honest conversations that help marketers and founders cut through the noise and get smarter, faster.

Publisher

Raman Verma

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Feb 2026

Latest episode

27 May 2026

Latest episodes

10 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 May 2026

   From A Garage to £30M | How Absolute Collagen Built a Subscription DTC Brand | Darcy Laceby

   Most ecommerce brands don’t fail because of the product. They fail because they can’t build trust, retention, and community at scale. In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman Verma sits down with Darcy Laceby, co-founder of Absolute Collagen, to break down how she scaled a garage startup into a £30M collagen brand and one of the UK’s leading DTC success stories. Darcy shares the realities of building a high-growth ecommerce business without external funding, how community-led growth became Absolute Collagen’s competitive advantage, and why retention matters more than ever in modern ecommerce. The conversation dives deep into subscription models, Meta ads, TikTok Shop, Amazon growth, retail expansion with Boots, founder-led content, customer trust, and international scaling strategies across the US and China. If you’re a founder, marketer, ecommerce operator, or DTC brand builder, this episode is packed with practical insights on sustainable growth, customer retention, creative strategy, and building a brand people genuinely believe in. Topics covered: • Community-led ecommerce growth • Subscription retention strategies • Scaling DTC brands profitably • Meta Ads and TikTok Shop growth • Amazon and retail expansion • Founder-led storytelling and brand trust • Customer acquisition and retention • Ecommerce growth strategy in 2026 • International expansion for consumer brands Guest Links 👤 Guest: Darcy Laceby 🔗 LinkedIn:   / darcy-laceby-495432135   (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqa3FwRmpOQWpxUy0ycUtfUkNZT1l1Q3VlZnh4d3xBQ3Jtc0ttdGVlRFNSTG9JNFBET3ZlTV8tMkY3SGFSMGJuUHN6RDI4b2d3QjEzOGh3dUNKcHBSYmNna0txaUdqT1BtTUNPUlp0S3BVNkhuSXVKcE1NNUp5QnhKUWlXMHFRb1pmOGpWTU1hZlFNUmJXWlVBUUpVdw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fdarcy-laceby-495432135%2F&v=aKp5XfI7BI8) 🌐 Website: https://www.absolutecollagen.com/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbVdrRVZQRGsxbk5mUXF5Wm5yX1FlSDhHa0FJZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsUDVyTWFzamdLN0JMdVdkYW9pQnNHVGF3TF9Xc3JaOGhyaUVEbktJZTNUcF9ENDM4VlAtY3pjdTZHdEdNTk96bXZnNE1RTWRjMjlHVnNJYndabU5CZkRrMk40MHRSQk1KMVZXZGFiZnRsYXRTWHNqcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.absolutecollagen.com%2F&v=aKp5XfI7BI8) 📸Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/darcylaceby/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbXItUV94UHc1T0x0WUltVjdPYWVORkJSaERKd3xBQ3Jtc0tsbURuSUJvQjQtalZWdTlZTEpHLXdCbXlsU1UyWVI1LVNQVUh3c2xteFRUYkxaTFBZNjhnY0hWT1FNMUhfbEZPTFRKNldtRnpUUWx2LS1ZNGdyX1RQbEFxV1NETEw0ckJabDZ0TDRGc3pZX3NjVWJROA&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fdarcylaceby%2F&v=aKp5XfI7BI8) Host Links 🎙 Host: Raman Verma 🔗 LinkedIn:   / ramanverma-kandidly   (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGNzTmc4dFRTMjZrT3VqeHg0S1JNcW1JNkJsUXxBQ3Jtc0trOXZ3aHl0d3dhZ3h3RFhuRlJ4ZGZMeDJnOHdOd1J6cWhma1lMOFZWSkNlNXBHVEk1TUlQdlAySHFUWml6aFR3Y2hhNTk4cEU0XzdiWFdEUUlDWHFrWkRXZFlEdmk4YjVraHhWWHRsYWl3OW9iaGtLZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Framanverma-kandidly&v=aKp5XfI7BI8) 🌐 Website: https://kandidly.co.uk (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbUZQOG9qb0NFQldzR3QxOTB6Zk9Ya3REZUpkZ3xBQ3Jtc0ttMlV3NnpPeXNQRExBbXlWOG1MZGxFTnZYUEhBVmhQcUlNTlJ1RmdnUWs1LXBwcEhBbFJCUzF1NnYtR25SSC1GeXFtbTVrb3cxdnVZVUtZaTFpODZ1Z0J0eEZlVXR0OTBMVFBJeW55X3A1dUY2WWVTcw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fkandidly.co.uk%2F&v=aKp5XfI7BI8)

2. 

   13 May 2026

   The Digital Transformation Playbook For Enterprise Brands

   For ecommerce and legacy businesses struggling to scale digitally, improving customer experience and operational thinking is often more important than simply driving more traffic or launching new technology. In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman Verma speaks with Hemant, a digital transformation leader with experience spanning ecommerce, travel, retail, and international expansion. From helping grow EasyJet’s ancillary revenue from $50M to $100M+ to leading ecommerce initiatives across Europe, Hemant shares practical lessons on customer journey optimisation, experimentation, digital KPIs, and scaling online businesses sustainably. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience, Hemant explains why many digital transformation projects fail, how businesses create friction by replicating offline processes online, and why customer experience should always take priority over aesthetics. The conversation also explores localisation vs globalisation in ecommerce, balancing DTC with retail partnerships, agency vs in-house dynamics, and the future impact of AI and blockchain on digital marketing. If you are an ecommerce founder, operator, marketer, or business leader looking to scale digitally while improving profitability and customer experience, this episode provides practical insights from someone who has led transformation projects across multiple industries. • Why customer experience matters more than aesthetics in ecommerce • The digital KPI framework that drives sustainable growth • How EasyJet increased ancillary revenue without reducing conversions • Why experimentation and testing are critical for digital transformation • The operational and organisational barriers that slow digital adoption • How global brands balance localisation with scalable ecommerce systems • Why businesses should rethink their dependence on Google and paid media Guest: Hemant DesaiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hemant-desai/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hemant-desai/) Host: Raman Verma https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly⁠ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly) ⁠https://kandidly.co.uk (https://kandidly.co.uk)

3. 

   8 Apr 2026

   Why Your Conversion Rate is Lying to You | CRO Strategies for Ecommerce Brands

   For ecommerce brands struggling to improve performance, understanding what truly drives conversions is just as important as driving more traffic. In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman Verma speaks with Adam Pearce, Shopify CRO expert and Co-Founder of Blend Commerce, a specialist agency helping high-growth brands improve revenue through data-driven Conversion Rate Optimisation. Adam shares how CRO has evolved from design-led experimentation into a structured discipline focused on improving user journeys, increasing average order value, and driving repeat purchases. Drawing on years of CRO testing experience, Adam explains why many brands misunderstand optimisation, why conversion rate alone is often misleading, and how small UX improvements can significantly impact profitability. The discussion explores the importance of trust signals, how to prioritise experiments using proven frameworks, and why traffic volume plays a critical role in reliable A/B testing. If you are an ecommerce founder, operator, or growth leader looking to scale efficiently, this episode provides practical insight into how high-performing brands approach experimentation, improve customer experience, and build sustainable revenue growth. • Why CRO is about improving revenue per visitor, not just conversion rate • The three ecommerce growth levers: buy now, buy more, buy again • Where users drop off in the customer journey and how to reduce friction • How trust signals such as returns policies and guarantees increase conversions • Why traffic thresholds matter for accurate A/B testing results • How bundling and offer strategy can increase average order value • Why revenue per session is a stronger performance metric than conversion rate Guest: Adam Pearce https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopifyexpertadampearce/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shopifyexpertadampearce/) Blend Commerce https://blendcommerce.com/ (https://blendcommerce.com/) eCom Collab Club https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ecom-collab-club/ (https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-ecom-collab-club/) Host: Raman Verma https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly) https://kandidly.co.uk (https://kandidly.co.uk)

4. 

   1 Apr 2026

   How to Scale & Sell Your Consumer Brand | From £5M to Exit

   For founders struggling to stand out in crowded markets, understanding what makes a brand truly investable is just as important as understanding what makes it attractive to customers. In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman Verma speaks with Leon Hughes, Partner at Piper, a private equity firm with a 40-year track record of backing high-growth consumer brands. Leon shares how Piper evaluates opportunities, what separates strong brands from the rest, and why purpose-led positioning, strong fundamentals, and founder mindset play a critical role in attracting investment. Drawing on his experience as both a founder and investor, Leon explains how private equity firms assess brand strength, leadership capability, and commercial performance. The discussion explores the metrics that matter most, how founders can improve valuation outcomes, and why building a distinctive brand with strong customer retention is often the foundation of long-term enterprise value. If you are an ecommerce founder, operator, or growth leader planning to raise investment or scale towards an exit, this episode provides practical insight into how sophisticated investors evaluate risk, opportunity, and partnership fit. • What private equity firms look for when evaluating consumer brands • Why purpose-led brands often build stronger long-term value • The importance of LTV, CAC, retention, and cohort analysis in due diligence • How founders can demonstrate momentum and increase valuation potential • Common mistakes brands make when preparing for investment • Why investor-founder fit is critical for long-term success • How governance and strategic guidance prepare brands for exit Guest: Leon Hughes https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonhughes Piper https://www.piper.co.uk (https://www.piper.co.uk) Host: Raman Verma https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly) https://kandidly.co.uk (https://kandidly.co.uk)

5. 

   25 Mar 2026

   Value Proposition Strategy in 2026: How Ecommerce Brands Win Customers

   Most ecommerce brands struggle to clearly communicate why customers should choose them. When messaging sounds generic, brands compete on price, conversion rates suffer, and long term growth becomes difficult. In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman Verma speaks with Steve Willicott about how strong value propositions help brands stand out, connect with customers, and build sustainable competitive advantage. Steve shares practical frameworks and real world examples that explain how successful brands define what makes them truly different. Using case studies including Patagonia, YETI, and Uncle Matt's Hats, this conversation explores how storytelling, brand personality, and authentic positioning influence customer perception and long term growth. If you are an ecommerce founder, marketer, or growth leader looking to improve brand positioning and communicate value more clearly, this episode provides practical and actionable insights you can apply immediately. • What a value proposition really is, and why most brands get it wrong • The difference between features, benefits, and true differentiation • How to identify your brand’s unique positioning using the Venn diagram framework • Why emotional connection often drives stronger brand preference • How packaging, storytelling, and brand experience influence perceived value • Practical ways to test and refine your value proposition • How brand personality can become a long term competitive advantage Resources & Mentions YETI parody video referenced in discussion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF5MtXSDknU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF5MtXSDknU) Chasing the Stigma https://www.chasingthestigma.co.uk (https://www.chasingthestigma.co.uk) Hub of Hope https://hubofhope.co.uk (https://hubofhope.co.uk) Guest: Steve Willicott https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevewillicott (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevewillicott)https://unclemattshats.com/ (https://unclemattshats.com/) Host: Raman Verma https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly) https://kandidly.co.uk (https://kandidly.co.uk)

6. 

   18 Mar 2026

   Email Marketing Strategy for Ecommerce (Klaviyo, AI, Personalisation)

   Most ecommerce brands are still treating email marketing like it’s 2018 and it’s costing them revenue. In this episode of the Paid Forward Podcast, Raman Verma sits down with Rich Evans to unpack what’s actually working in email marketing today and what’s already outdated. If your emails aren’t converting, it’s not because email is dead. It’s because your strategy hasn’t evolved with AI, data, and modern customer behaviour. You’ll learn how leading brands are combining email, SMS, and WhatsApp to create a connected customer journey that drives higher engagement and revenue. Rich also breaks down where most brands go wrong with personalisation, how to better use your data, and why sending fewer, more relevant emails wins. This episode is packed with practical insights for ecommerce founders, marketers, and anyone looking to build a smarter CRM strategy. What we cover: • Why email marketing still delivers some of the highest ROI • How to build a multi-channel strategy that actually converts • What real personalisation looks like beyond first names • The “hidden” data most brands ignore • How AI is transforming email and CRM • Why less volume + more relevance = better results • What a world-class marketing setup looks like in 2026 If you want to future-proof your marketing and drive more revenue from your existing audience, this episode is for you.

7. 

   25 Feb 2026

   Creatives That Builds Brand and Sales

   In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman Verma speaks with Toby Hart, Co-Founder of Nusa Studios, about what it really takes to build ads people choose to watch. They break down what “thumb-stopping” means in 2026, how to balance brand and performance without compromising either, and why most creative fails before it even launches. You’ll learn: • The three pillars of effective social creative: attention, volume and content hygiene • How to align brand guidelines with platform-native execution • When to use UGC vs polished production • The psychology behind hooks and emotional triggers • How to think about creative budgeting vs media spend • Where AI fits into modern creative workflows • Nusa’s end-to-end process from brief to delivery If you’re a founder, performance marketer or growth lead trying to improve creative output, this episode gives you a practical framework you can apply immediately. Follow Paid Forward for weekly conversations with operators, founders and growth leaders building modern brands. Chapters:00:00 Introduction00:27 Welcome and Setup01:22 Toby's Background04:34 About Nusa Studios05:30 What stops thumbs?08:10 Brand Guidelines vs Social-first Creativity13:12 What makes a creative concept platform-native?16:16 How do big brands typically brief content production?18:01 What makes a video a social-first video?21:09 UGC vs Polished Content24:09 Role of psychology in creative production27:00 Common pitfalls of DIY content29:08 Budgeting for creatives vs Media buying30:28 Role of AI creative processes35:43 Balancing performance and brand equity38:26 Nusa's creative process explained41:49 Who's more important - Videographer or Editor?44:44 What does a good client / agency relationship looks like?46:58 What should brands look out for when choosing a creative agency?48:28 What type of brief excites creatives at Nusa Studios?49:53 Thanks and how to contact Toby #CreativeStrategy #PerformanceMarketing #SocialMediaAdvertising

8. 

   23 Feb 2026

   AI Search Optimisation In 2025: what actually works and what’s hype

   In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman Verma is joined by Sean Begg Flint, Founder of Position Digital, to unpack what is really driving results in AI search today. We unpack the shift from traditional SEO to GEO, AEO, and LLM optimisation, and explain why most brands are chasing the wrong tactics. Instead of obsessing over top-funnel traffic and prompt hacks, Sean shares a pragmatic framework built on strong SEO foundations, brand citation visibility inside AI tools, and content formats that win in a zero-click environment. This conversation covers: • What is genuinely changing in search in 2025, and what remains the same • Why top-of-funnel blog content is underperforming • How to audit your brand’s presence inside AI search results • The difference between Google AI Overviews and large language models • How to segment and measure AI-driven traffic properly • Why AI traffic may be small in volume but high in intent • Realistic timelines and expectations for GEO and AEO If you are a marketing leader, founder, or growth team trying to understand how AI search impacts revenue, this episode delivers practical guidance rather than speculation. Listen now to separate signal from hype and build a search strategy that compounds. #AISearch #SEO #AEO #GEO #LLMO #DigitalMarketing #ContentStrategy #SearchMarketing #MarketingPodcast

9. 

   18 Feb 2026

   CRO Strategies For eCommerce Brands: What's Working In 2026

   In this episode of Paid Forward, Will Laurenson shares what he has learned from working with scaling ecommerce businesses and running a conversion rate optimisation agency. We explore what genuinely increases ecommerce revenue today — and why many traditional CRO tactics no longer deliver meaningful results. Will explains why focusing purely on conversion rate can damage profitability, why revenue per visitor is often a more valuable metric, and how brands should prioritise testing using funnel analysis rather than copying competitors. We also break down the UAM methodology (Usability, Anxiety and Motivation) and how it helps ecommerce brands identify what truly influences buying behaviour. This conversation covers: Why many CRO “best practices” backfire The problem with conversion rate benchmarks Where to start testing in your ecommerce funnel The role of customer research alongside analytics How to increase average order value without harming margin Competing with Amazon strategically Why most brands end tests too early If you are a founder, CMO or ecommerce operator focused on profitable growth in 2026, this episode will help you rethink how you approach optimisation. Will Laurenson LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/willlaurenson/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/willlaurenson/) Website: https://customerswhoclick.com/ (https://customerswhoclick.com/) Raman Verma LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramanverma-kandidly/) Website: https://kandidly.co.uk/ (https://kandidly.co.uk/)

10. 

    18 Feb 2026

    The Truth About Shopify | What Brands Need to Know in 2026

    What does it really take to scale on Shopify in 2026? In this episode of Paid Forward, Raman sits down with Nathan Lomax to break down the commercial reality behind Shopify growth - from migration risk and SEO to total cost of ownership and when Shopify Plus actually makes sense. This is a practical conversation for founders and ecommerce leaders who want clarity, not hype. We explore app stack bloat, international expansion challenges, shifting agency expectations, and why profitability is becoming the real metric that matters. If you are planning a migration, evaluating Shopify, or looking to scale more profitably, this episode will help you cut through the noise. Nathan Lomax - https://www.quickfiredigital.com/ Raman Verma - https://kandidly.co.uk/

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Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.