UK company + operations
THE COMMERCIAL HUB
The UK carries brand, customer, marketing, e-commerce and finance. Keep it deliberately small for the first 6–12 months and let sales decide the next hire.
CORPORATE CHECKLIST
Cost ranges are indicative. Verify with a UK professional adviser before implementation.
| Item | Owner | Timing | Estimated cost | Dependency | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK company incorporation | Founder | Week 1 | £50–£500 | Name and trademark screen | |
| Business bank account | Founder | Week 1–3 | £0–£30/mo | Incorporation | |
| Accounting and bookkeeping | Finance (outsourced) | Week 2 | £150–£400/mo | Bank account | |
| VAT registration and tax planning | Accountant | Week 3–6 | Advisory fee | Revenue forecast | |
| Trademark filing (UK + EU) | IP counsel | Month 1 | £1,000–£3,000 | Final brand name | |
| Import/EORI and customs setup | Ops | Month 2 | Advisory fee | Company + freight partner | |
| E-commerce terms, returns and privacy policies | Legal counsel | Month 3 | £1,500–£4,000 | Site build | |
| GDPR, cookies and marketing consent | Legal + E-comm | Month 3 | Tooling + advisory | Analytics stack | |
| Product labelling and textile fibre information | India product team | Month 3 | Included in trims | Final BOM | |
| Insurance (stock, liability, cyber) | Ops | Month 4 | £1,200–£4,000/yr | Warehouse contract |
OFFICE SETUP
| Small studio, deposit + 12mo rent | £24,000 |
| Computers and phones | £7,000 |
| Software | £3,000 |
| Content and photography kit | £5,000 |
| Furniture and fit-out | £3,000 |
Total year 1 setup
£42,000
Phase 1 should be a flexible workspace, not a lease. Studio space only becomes worth the fixed cost once content volume justifies it.
UK TEAM
Founder / CEO
FULL-TIME
Hire Month 0
Brand, commercial, fundraising.
Brand & Creative Director
FULL-TIME
Hire Month 1
Hire early — this defines the product.
E-commerce Manager
FULL-TIME
Hire Month 3
Site, merchandising, CRO.
Digital Marketing / Social Lead
FULL-TIME
Hire Month 3
In-house content over agency.
Merchandiser / Buyer
PART-TIME
Hire Month 4
Can be shared with India hub initially.
Customer Experience Lead
PART-TIME
Hire Month 5
Scales with order volume.
Finance / Admin
OUTSOURCED
Hire Month 1
No in-house finance before Year 2.
PR
AGENCY
Hire Month 5
Launch window only, then review.
Photographer / Videographer
FREELANCE
Hire Month 3
Per-shoot until volume justifies in-house.
Hire immediately: Founder, Brand & Creative Director, outsourced finance. Delay: customer experience, merchandising and PR until order volume and the launch window demand them.