15 Minute Masterclass: 3 Ways for British Brands to Succeed in America with Thea Green MBE, Beauty Entrepreneur and Founder of Nails.INC

This week Jo sits down with Thea Green MBE, founder of Nails INC. and Holler & Glow, to share three ways British brands can succeed in America. First, Thea says distribution is your best advert: focus on one key retail partner where you’ll get strong visibility, prove performance with clean data, and consider short-term exclusivity rather than spreading thinly across multiple retailers with poor shelf placement. Second, because it’s hard to outspend US corporates on advertising, she advises leaning into your USP and founder storytelling and using partnerships, collaborations, and retailer exclusives so bigger brands and retailers amplify your launch. Third, she recommends celebrating European heritage and quality—standards, ingredients, and manufacturing stories—to appeal to Americans’ perception of European-made products as premium and safer, while noting US retail buying cycles can be slower and require long lead times. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro00:39 Advice One Distribution First02:37 Win One Retailer04:34 Advice Two Outsmart Ad Budgets05:39 Partnerships and Collaborations06:53 Advice Three Sell Europe09:35 US Market Watch Outs11:56 Retail Timelines and Seasonality13:51 Recap and ClosingSupport the showEdited and produced by Jo Glynn-Smith 2025. Recorded at Eight Works Podcast Studios, 1 Dysart Street, London, EC2A 2BXFor bookings: [email protected] Jo Glynn-Smith is an entrepreneur, professional coach, writer, and speaker from London, she is an expert in career transformation and change. Instagram @jojoglynnsmith and @themidlifeentrepreneurContact: [email protected] CREDIT Easy Money by REX BANNER licensed by Artlist.ioPHOTOGRAPHY by JONATHAN GLYNN-SMITH www.jonathanglynnsmith.com