A focus on one of our clients doing great things on an international scale.
Edwards & Co launched four years ago evolving from wholesale-only to a business that deals with the entire process from manufacture to wholesale to retail.
It’s a family affair with father-and-son duo working together to take Edwards & Co to the world. Currently, the range of strollers and compatible car seats are being sold online and through a network of retailers in New Zealand and Australia, but Warwick and Mark are looking to expand into a global market.
Mark says one of their main goals is “to keep moving forward.” Good planning is extremely important to know where the company is headed and encourages employees to continue putting in their best efforts to ensure success. Edwards & Co have joined the team at Next Advisory to help them interpret their real-time financial data from Xero, which changes by the minute, meaning decisions can be made so much faster, and are based on actual numbers.
Fashions and trends in the baby industry are constantly changing and it can be hard to keep up but Mark credits his ability to work from anywhere, helping to keep Edwards & Co ahead of the game. If there’s a perfect balance between work and home life Mark hasn’t found it, but he does prioritise time away from work. “This is how I remain creative. Some of my most important and creative ideas have come from a change of scene. I think variety of work is so important.”
Revenue has increased 230% in the past year and the expansion of the business has led to the hiring of four new staff members.
There’s been a stronger focus on social media as Mark recognises the importance of this marketing tool to reach a new generation of parents and parents-to-be. He’s also learnt the nature of social media is quickly evolving and influencer campaigns, which they’ve used in the past, no longer have the cut-through they once had.
To support the grow plans of Edwards & Co, the business also runs a completely different warehousing equipment website called Arrow Warehousing. The profits and cash from this business enables the company to invest in new design and tooling for the stroller business.
As a kid, owning his own business wasn’t on Mark’s radar and he initially dabbled in the corporate world of marketing and finance before launching Edwards & Co. He loves building the brand and has found it a seamless transition doing something he loves and is good at.
Mark and his husband are expecting their first child later this year which will bring a whole new set of challenges. But Mark is confident Edwards & Co will continue to grow and become another New Zealand success story.
