Interview with Nicolas Loeuillet, the director of a unique support programme in the UK for aspiring retailers

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Ankorstart, the free and non-binding support programme developed by Ankorstore, the leading European B2B marketplace, has achieved great success in helping retailers successfully launch a retail shop over the past 12 months.

The programme has recently celebrated its one year anniversary and now has more than 70,000 registrations and over 5,500 shops openings with the support of its experts.

Ankorstart was designed to empower entrepreneurs to open a retail shop in the best conditions while ensuring long term success. The experts of the programme are dedicated to the support of aspiring retailers all through their journey of opening a shop, with the goal of helping them to thrive.

Sign up to the programme now

For the occasion of the Independents’ Day in the UK, we sat down with the Director of the Ankorstart programme, Nicolas Loeuillet, to learn more about Ankorstart.

Retail Times hosts a Q&A with Ankorstart to discuss how the programme can support retailers opening a shop

Thank you for your time Nicolas, can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

NL – My name is Nicolas Loeuillet, I am the Director of the Ankorstart programme and my mission is to help develop the programme in a way that allows us to better support future retailers opening their shop.

Can you explain what Ankorstart is?

NL – Ankorstart is a free support programme that helps future retailers launch their physical or online store in the best conditions. Our mission is to help passionate entrepreneurs achieve their dream of opening a successful retail shop.

Who are the experts of the programme?

NL- The Ankorstart team consists of 21 experts from 6 different nationalities.

They all have previous experience in the business world or are former entrepreneurs and are all driven by a single ambition: to work alongside the retailers of tomorrow to open the shop of their dreams.

Who can join the programme?

Concept stores, decoration, kids, beauty, ready-to-wear, grocery, florists, pet shops, bookshops… all the independent shops that are on our high streets are welcome.

The Ankorstart programme is aimed at entrepreneurs who want to open a physical or online retail business.

In which countries is Ankorstart available?

NL – The Ankorstart programme is available in 7 countries across the UK and Europe: UK, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

How can a retailer register for the programme?

Registering to the Ankorstart programme is really simple. Go to the Ankorstart website or the Ankorstore platform. Answer a few questions and you will be contacted within 48 hours by one of our experts.

How many retailers have you helped so far?

Since the launch of Ankorstart, our team of experts has helped launch over 5,500 projects and we now have more than 70,000 registered on our platform.

Why should a retailer start with Ankorstart?

NL – It is a complete programme, which accompanies retailers at each key stage to launch their business in the best conditions, helping them to adopt the reflexes that will make them a true business professional, and to achieve lasting success.

It is essential for a retailer to go through Ankorstart because our team will be able to :

  • Offer you regular and custom coaching: depending on the needs, the entrepreneur will benefit from personalised support by telephone, video call or email to launch his business: creation of a business plan, search for financing, search for commercial premises, development of a marketing strategy, and much more.
  • Dedicate a special focus on product assortment, the key expertise of our experts: the Ankorstart programme will provide retailers with in-depth advice on creating their first assortment and budgeting their initial stock.
  • Support you after your shop opens: once the shop is up and running, the programme doesn’t stop there! The retailer benefits from our experts’ advice on post-opening topics for 3 months.

Can you explain how the Ankorstart support works?

We offer two main types of support: one to one support with a retail expert and digital support.

The retail expert is the main point of contact for the retailers that join the programme, they are available to guide them through their retail journey and understand what kind of support is most suitable for their specific needs.

While the digital support consists of online resources including guides, video tutorials and articles available on our blog, as well as webinars, local initiatives, emails with short guides and tips, and finally, privileged access to offers from a bespoke network of partners.

Can you tell us more about a retailer that has successfully launched in the UK?

We could tell many success stories of retailers that launched their business in the UK with the support of Ankorstart. One of them for example was Chloé Colas, who opened her shop L’Hexagone in Greenwich Market, London last year.

She joined the programme in May 2022 and was supported by her Ankorstart expert from that moment on, even after her shop opened in September 2022.

We supported her during her retail journey, from onboarding to obtaining an EORI number to guidance on building a balanced assortment that can attract and satisfy the customers while ensuring profitability.

She was very happy about her experience with the programme and shared that her retail expert has been a blessing for her. She felt and is still feeling very supported. What she appreciated the most was the help she got in finding brands and products for her store.

It is a true passion for us to guide aspiring business owners like Chloé towards their own success in the retail world.

Ankorstart,
L’Hexagone opened in Greenwich Market, London last year, supported by Ankorstart

Future retailers, the story of your shop begins with Ankorstart.

Sign up to the programme now

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