BRiMM
THE OUTCOME
On-time
Marketplace launched in early 2025, running seamlessly from day one
-60%
Admin work reduced through automation and vendor management
Day 1
Commercial systems live: model, range, suppliers, 3PL, membership tiers
The Brand
BRiMM is a membership-led marketplace built around a simple idea: every purchase should power positive change. Members shop a curated range of sustainable products from carefully-vetted partner brands — and earn cashback rewards, attend member events, and know that 10% of BRiMM's revenue is reinvested into sustainability initiatives with the brands they buy from.
Founded by James Haycock, BRiMM launched in early 2025 with a clear mission: make sustainable shopping rewarding for the customer, profitable for partner brands, and meaningful at scale. The model required something most marketplace startups skip: commercial structure built before launch, not retrofitted after.
Where they were
James had a sharp vision: a sustainable marketplace where members shop with purpose, brands grow with margin, and 10% of every transaction goes back into sustainability. The brand identity was clear, the early supplier interest was real, and the product proposition was distinctive.
What BRiMM didn't have yet was the commercial backbone. A marketplace launch is operationally complex: financial modelling, range and category strategy, supplier vetting and contract terms, fulfilment infrastructure, membership tier design, and the technology stack to tie it all together. Most marketplace startups try to figure this out as they trade, and pay for it later in margin leaks, vendor disputes, and operational firefighting.
James wanted to do it the other way round: build the engine before turning it on.
What I did
I joined BRiMM as Fractional Commercial & Operations Lead to build the commercial and operational backbone the marketplace needed to launch on time and scale durably. The work spanned every commercial discipline a marketplace launch requires:
Commercial modelling. Built BRiMM's full commercial and financial model, covering business expenditure, total margin, membership economics, ecommerce and supply outcomes, acquisition and growth scenarios, and the investment runway required to hit growth goals. The model became the central decision-making tool for the launch and the basis for ongoing investor conversations.
Range and product strategy. Built the product proposition from scratch, sourcing partner brands across home and food categories, planning the launch range, and structuring pricing to balance margin with member value. Developed BRiMM's signature Reset boxes for Pantry & Home, that have since been featured in Marie Claire.
Supplier onboarding and commercial terms. Vetted, onboarded, and signed terms with partner brands across both dropship and wholesale models. Designed the commercial framework that protects margin while keeping partner brands genuinely incentivised to participate, the unglamorous structural work that makes marketplaces work.
Operations and 3PL. Selected BRiMM's 3PL partner and stood up the marketplace's full operational infrastructure, including the B2B vendor platform that lets BRiMM onboard partners, sync products, and manage orders without manual coordination. Reduced admin work by around 60% from the alternative manual approach.
Membership architecture. Designed BRiMM's membership tiers, cashback rewards, pricing structure, and member benefits, turning the brand promise of "shop with purpose, get rewarded for it" into a structured commercial offer.
What changed
BRiMM launched on time, with the commercial engine running from day one.
The engagement delivered three connected outcomes:
A smooth, on-time launch. The Shopify storefront, B2B vendor platform, supplier network, 3PL fulfilment, and membership architecture were all live and operational from launch day, not phased in over the following quarters.
60% less admin work, by design. Vendor management, product sync, and order routing were automated through the integrated B2B platform, freeing James and the team to focus on growth, brand, and member experience rather than operational coordination.
A scalable commercial foundation. The financial model, range strategy, supplier terms, and membership architecture were built to scale, not to be replaced once BRiMM grows. Day-one decisions still hold today.
"Christabel combines deep retail with the operational discipline to close critical commercial gaps and accelerate growth."
— James Haycock, Founder of BRiMM
Services applied
Commercial Leadership
Contributed to business strategy, led cross-functional team members, and developed company goals and roadmap directly with the founder.
Range & Merchandising
Built the product proposition across home and food categories. Created the bestselling Reset boxes for Pantry & Home, featured in Marie Claire.
Membership Architecture
Designed pricing tiers, cashback rewards, and member benefits, turning brand promise into structured commercial offer.
Commercial Modelling
Full financial model covering expenditure, margin, membership economics, growth scenarios, and investment requirements. The launch decision-making tool, and the basis for investor conversations.
Operations & 3PL
Stood up the full marketplace operational stack: B2B vendor platform, 3PL partnership, order management. Reduced admin work by ~60% through automation.
Want this for your business?
BRiMM launched on time because the commercial engine was built before the marketplace went live. The same approach works for any scaling D2C brand; whether you're launching a new business, extending into a new model, or rebuilding the foundations of what's already there.
A free 20-minute call to pressure-test your commercial model. No pitch, just a second pair of commercial eyes from someone who's been doing this for two decades.