Founded in 2018 by husband-and-wife team Amy and Rob Knight, along with their friend Chris Finch, Must Have Ideas has rapidly become one of the UK’s fastest-growing e-commerce businesses.
The trio, having previously worked together, brought a diverse set of skills to the table, forming a strong and effective team. Amy, a mum of two, graduated with a Law degree but quickly pivoted to digital marketing, a field she taught herself due to her passion for business and marketing.
Specialising in unique, problem-solving products, Must Have Ideas has seen remarkable growth. From humble beginnings packing orders on their dining table and storing stock in their spare room, the company now employs a team of 135 people, dispatching 7,000 orders a day from their state-of-the-art 40,000 sq ft distribution centre in Kent. With a relentless focus on delivering best-in-class customer experiences, innovative digital marketing strategies, and leveraging advanced, custom-built technology, the company is set to hit £60M in sales in 2024. As a family-run business, their mantra is to treat every single customer as they would want to be treated, upholding three key promises: quick delivery, a 100-day money-back guarantee, and an easy returns process.
Must Have Ideas achieved a spot on the Sunday Times Fastest UK Company’s 100 List in 2024, underscoring their rapid growth and success.
What was the inspiration behind Must Have Ideas?
My husband had already run a successful business and we wanted to start something completely new, providing a whole new range of helpful products, while offering the best in-class customer service. Whilst at the previous business we had started to experiment with Meta advertising, we quickly saw it’s potential.
Once we left our previous business we went on holiday to the States and discovered our first product, what we call the ‘Hygiene Hero’. On our return we quickly placed our first order and learnt how to run ads on Meta.
Who do you admire?
Sara Davies – the British businesswoman and founder of Crafter’s Companion
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
I’m not sure there is. Obviously I’m sure there are some small things but I’m a big believer in everything happens for a reason and I don’t think we would be where we are now if we hadn’t taken the path we did!
What defines your way of doing business?
Customer service is at the heart of everything we do and we proudly offer very traditional customer service, as well as quick delivery, within two working days or your order is free, a 100-day money-back guarantee and an easy returns process. Our customer service is available 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week and we can be contacted via email, social media, phone calls and even by post. Keeping customer service consistent is important to us and it’s delivered by training the team to a high standard and ensuring the team know that they are fully empowered to do what is right by the customer. This we believe is what’s driving our business forward at a rapid rate.
Data and technology is also the foundation of our business and our success which helps us maintain a competitive edge in the e-commerce sector.
Leveraging data underpins everything we do, and I taught myself how to run Meta ads when we began selling and I quickly realised how using data is key. We also use advanced, custom-built technology for all our internal systems which enables us to make really informed decisions about our marketing.
We also leverage data in every other aspect of the business, including operations to ensure we are providing the best possible level of service as efficiently as possible.
What advice would you give to someone starting out?
Be confident in your abilities, let your passion drive you and go for it.
Make sure you manage cashflow closely, especially when you are growing as it is difficult to fund growth.
