A consultancy for founder-led brands and the people who back them.
Product development, strategy, turnarounds, distribution, Amazon, D2C, marketing, operations and AI.
Founders of Pai Skincare, exited to Clarins in 2023.
Who we work with
Founders and operators of beauty, health & wellness brands with a commercial or operational problem: a product, a margin, a channel that isn't working or one you want to open, a factory or a manufacturer. We also help with raising investment.
Investors: PE, funds & family offices who want an operator's view of a brand before investing, or hands-on help for an existing investment, including turnarounds.
Anyone else: if it is interesting and we can add value, then get in touch. If we're not the right people to help, we'll say so and put you in touch with someone in our network who can.
What we do
Deliver tremendous value by shortcutting the learning curve because we've done it before. Operational, commercial and product insight plus an outside view to sense check the really big decisions.
- Strategy, pricing and margin
- Getting into retailers: distribution and listings
- Amazon UK, US and Europe
- Website and D2C: Shopify, conversion, subscriptions
- Product development, formulation and certification
- Operations, manufacturing and supply chain
- AI tools and product information (PIM)
- Trademarks, patents and brand protection
- Retail sell-through and beauty adviser training
- Due diligence and post-deal help for investors
- NEDs & board advisors
What we've done recently
Solarpunk: iPhone app
Local UV forecasts and skin ageing risk. In beta.
HAPPI: AI powered Product Information Manager
Knowledgebase for products & ingredients. Replaces spreadsheets, automates Retailer Line Forms, Amazon & Shopify listing creator.
Stories & Ink: Operational, Product & Channel Consultancy
Amazon UK sales up 400% in six months, to the number one channel.
Who we are
We started Pai Skincare in 2007 and sold it to Clarins in 2023, then set up Imaginists to work with other founders and the people who invest in them. We stayed on Pai's board, and in 2025 put together the deal for its sale and returned temporarily as Interim Joint-CEOs to support the transition (now completed).
Book a call
A 30-minute call (it's free) to go through your challenge or your deal and see if we can help.