Australia’s leading stationery specialist with retailer and online sales channels. As Co-Founder Matthew’s main role was strategic vision, brand development, brand mix, market analysis, retail openings, product launch and range extension.
The Glass House
Positioned a unique couples only retreat in New Zealand that could leverage and compete with the ultra high end “lodges” the market already had on offer.
Through the creation of a staff culture capable of exceptional pro-active service, outstanding food and wine, and then communicating the positioning to the market the team were able to achieve a near 100% occupancy rate and gained recognition as top 100 hotels in the world by Conde Nast Traveller.
Write To Me
Rapidly growing Australian brand Write To Me had all the fundamentals in place when I joined them.
Initially doing some brand strengthening and then following with an international, multi channel, distribution strategy we are replicating the success all over the world.
Both turnover and bottom line results are exceptional.
Lamy
Lamy distribution in Australia had been focused on selling volumes of stock at the cost of brand perception.
The team at Telegram ( I was the co-founder) faced scepticism from the core customer base tired of discounting.
Our strategy to combat this included the successful launch of Premium Retailer program designed to gain trust and loyalty of traditional pen stores.
We “tidied" the market decreasing volumes to discounters and increasing full brand experience sales.
Our actions increased brand appropriate doors by 35% and replaced nearly all merchandising to be brand appropriate.
The immediate dollar results were a 43% sales increase in wholesale sales within the first two years with the brand now set for future growth through brand experience mono stores.
Octaevo
Established Barcelona design company Octaevo employed KIC to help take the company to the next level.
After detailed examination of the business needs we embarked on a program of actions to reduce any friction in the sales process.
This strategy resulted in higher customer retention worldwide, exponential growth in the key USA market and a doubling of sales in the UK over a 12 month period.
The Source newsagent
Faced with an industry that has high foot traffic but eroded margins the aim was to create a convenience store that leveraged the high traffic flows of a news agency whilst encouraging spontaneous purchases of higher priced and better margin product.
I created a space and product offering to make a trusted destination store for gifts, shedding the perception of a traditional newsagent.
This resulted in Increased average spend from $1.30 to $14 with concomitant increase in margin from 16% to 39%, a growth in the turnover of over 500% and being awarded Gift Retailer of the Year.
Moleskine
Moleskine was our primary brand at Telegram. (Co-founder and sales director).
Our mission in Australia and New Zealand was to take it from a randomly distributed and niche brand to become the number one leading brand in its field.
We re-structured the retail base, initially reducing the amount of competing retailers whilst increasing depth of stock, ranging and quality of merchandising in the better brand fit stores.
This resulted in increased sales by over 500% in seven year period.
Australia and New Zealand now boast one of the best brand recognitions and one of the best brand saturations in the world.
