How to turn Social Media followers into paying customers : Maddie Borge, Founder of Pastael

In this episode of Business Class, Vicky Owens sits down with Maddie Borge, founder of Pastael, to uncover how she transformed a travel frustration into one of the UK's most exciting travel accessories brands. From product design and manufacturing to branding, social media marketing and growing an e-commerce business, Maddie shares the lessons she's learned from building Pastael from the ground up. If you're thinking about starting a business, launching a physical product or growing an online brand, this episode is packed with practical advice and honest insights. In this episode you'll learn: How Maddie built Pastael from a single idea The steps to launching a product-based business Product development and manufacturing tips Building a memorable brand customers love Growing an e-commerce business through social media Overcoming the challenges of entrepreneurship Scaling a startup sustainably Marketing strategies for product businesses Building customer loyalty and community Advice for first-time founders 🎉 This episode is sponsored by Plannerly Plan your content, schedule posts and manage your social media workflow with Plannerly. 👉 Use code VICKY10 for 10% off your Plannerly plan. Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:10 Meet Maddie Borge 05:00 The idea behind Pastel 10:30 Designing the first product 16:00 Manufacturing and sourcing 22:00 Launching the business 29:00 Building the Pastael brand 36:00 Social media and marketing 43:00 Scaling an e-commerce business 50:00 Biggest challenges as a founder 57:00 Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs About Maddie Borge Maddie Borge is the founder of Pastael, a travel accessories brand dedicated to creating stylish, practical products that make travelling easier. Through innovative design, community-led marketing and a strong brand identity, Pastael has quickly become a favourite among modern travellers. About Business Class Hosted by Vicky Owens, Business Class is the podcast for entrepreneurs, founders, creators and ambitious professionals looking to learn from the people building successful businesses and brands. Produced by TAEPodcast - www.taepodcast.co.uk