Scaling past £20M requires a different operating model.
The team structure, agency retainers, and tech stack that got you here are often what's holding you back.
I help brands build the foundations for their next stage of growth.
Mark Leach — Principal Consultant
mark@centrechannel.com
+44 7429 164215
Think of me as the 10% that protects your other 90%.
I ensure clear scope, aligned teams, and delivery that actually lands - so your investment doesn't get wasted on rework, scope creep, or agencies pulling in different directions.
Strategic Perspectives
What I do
I work with retail brands whose boards lack the internal digital expertise to make confident decisions on platforms, agencies, and data infrastructure.
Typically sponsored at founder/CEO level, working day-to-day with Head of Digital or eCommerce Director.
The brief usually sounds like: "We're growing, but everything's harder than it should be. We're being pitched solutions, but nobody internal can tell us what's right."
Recent engagements:
+8% conversion improvement on Shopify replatform
+10% paid-social conversion after server-side tag management implementation
12-month payback on bespoke native app
Three apps ranked UK App Store Shopping Top-100
The pattern at scale
You've reached £20-50m (sometimes £100m with higher AOV).
The platform that felt empowering now feels limiting. Data lives in five places and nobody trusts it enough to commit budget. Three agencies are pitching "transformation" but nothing moves.
Board wants fast growth. Teams are working hard but rarely working together.
This isn't a technology problem. It's a confidence problem.
You need someone who can translate technical complexity into clear business decisions — and then stay involved until those decisions deliver measurable results.
If you already know what needs fixing, we go straight to delivery. If not, we use a structured approach:
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Commercial Diagnostic
Audit team, tech, data and spend. Prioritised issues by impact/effort.
Output: Board‑ready actions with expected ROI and owners.
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Replatforming Assurance
Fix the highest‑impact blocker first (performance, data trust, or team alignment). Measurable gates.
Output: Tangible improvement and a repeatable pattern.
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Interim Leadership
Roll out across other priorities. Embed cadence and capability so momentum continues without dependency.
Output: Scaled results, handover, and governance.
Who this is for:
£20–£50m fashion, beauty, home & lifestyle brand (up to £100m with higher AOV)
On Shopify Plus (or considering replatforming)
Leadership under growth pressure facing complex systems and siloed delivery
Board lacks internal digital fluency to evaluate competing recommendations
This isn’t a fit if:
You need strategy presentations rather than hands-on delivery
Budget isn't available for proper resolution (typically £30k+ over 3-6 months)
Your team isn't ready to change how they work
What actually happens
Board facing £200k+ platform decision. Three agencies pitching conflicting approaches. No internal confidence to choose.
Led discovery and replatform governance → +8% conversion, +12% AOV, delivered on time and budget.
Board now has framework for evaluating all future platform decisions.
— Personalised Jewellery retailer
Rising SaaS costs eroding margin. Board questioning tech stack ROI but no internal capability to assess alternatives.
Built business case and delivered bespoke native app → +11% conversion, 5-point web-to-app shift, 12-month payback.
CFO now understands true cost of tech decisions
— Men’s footwear & apparel brand
Think of me as the 10% that ensures your other 90% delivers what it promised.
I ensure clear scope, aligned teams, and delivery that actually lands - so your investment doesn't get wasted on rework, scope creep, or agencies pulling in different directions.
Let's talk
If you recognise your business in this, we should have a conversation.
I work with a small number of ambitious brands at any time. If we're a good fit, I'll keep capacity for you. If not, I'll tell you directly.