S10 E4 Why Consistency Is The Silver Bullet with Fran Pittaway, CEO at Biscuiteers

In this episode, we chat to Fran Pittaway, CEO of Biscuiteers, the UK's original hand-iced biscuit gifting brand. Fran's career path is anything but conventional - from working at the BBC, to building the first-ever buying team at Children in Need, to spending nearly a decade shaping the commercial strategy at Not On The High Street, and finally stepping into the C-suite at Biscuiteers.

Throughout the conversation, Fran shares candid stories from her career, including the chaos behind the scenes of Children in Need's telethon, how Not On The High Street navigated the explosive rise of competitors like Etsy, and what it's really like stepping into a CEO role after years in commercial leadership. She also opens up about what makes Biscuiteers special - from its iconic hand-painted packaging and icing café in Notting Hill, to the meticulous "biscuits per hour" production process behind its beloved treats.

Fran's story is a masterclass in following curiosity over a rigid plan, building genuine relationships at any scale, and staying true to a brand's roots even when the market shifts around you.

Three Key Takeaways:

1) A non-linear career can still lead to strategic leadership. Fran didn't start in buying - she moved from BBC production and commercial partnerships into building Children in Need's first-ever buying team and online shop from scratch, proving that strong commercial instincts and relationship-building matter more than a traditional career blueprint.

2) The same relationship principles scale up or down. Whether working with major retailers like Asda and Debenhams or small independent brands on Not On The High Street, Fran found that honesty, trust, and understanding the customer are what make commercial partnerships work - regardless of business size.

3) Consistency beats chasing trends. Reflecting on Not On The High Street's challenges competing with Etsy and other marketplaces, Fran emphasizes that brands need to stay true to their core audience and USP rather than knee-jerk reacting to competitors - a philosophy she's now applying to grow Biscuiteers.

Support the show

If you've liked this episode please rate, follow, subscribe and share :)
- and if you already have, thank you! It honestly really helps to keep this going and growing!

Follow us @buyingandbeyond on Instagram 

Send us a DM or email hello@buyingandbeyond.co.uk

We also have a retail buyers membership @jointhebuyersclub  

Find out more at www.jointhebuyersclub.co.uk

If you'd like to show a little more love, then head here to give us just a little bit *extra* and show us your support :) thank you!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2300060/support