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Co-Founder of Raw, a fast growing tech driven creative fashion studio specialising in…
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Gareth Gillatt shared thisWe started RAW two weeks before COVID-19 shut the world down. No functioning supply chains. No roadmap that still applied. A business plan that was out of date before we'd even finished writing it. This week, a little over six years on, we open our doors in the USA. Not because expansion is easy. Because standing still was never the plan; certainly not in February 2020, and definitely not now. RAW has teams in the UK, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Australia, South Africa and now the United States. Six markets. One belief that hasn't moved since day one: brands and retailers don't need another supplier. They need a partner who can turn uncertainty into opportunity. We learned that lesson before we'd even properly opened our doors. The US market right now isn't simple: tariffs shifting, sourcing strategies rewritten overnight, brands asking harder questions than they used to. Good. That's exactly the kind of complexity RAW was built to solve. It's the only kind we've ever known. None of this happens without people who choose the harder version of the plan. Adam Walsh, my Co-Founder, and the person who agreed to start a business two weeks before the world stopped, and never once suggested we stop with it. James Pike, who keeps the whole thing running, every single day. @Shahin Khan, who took "let's open a US business" and made it real, faster than any of us expected. And to everyone across RAW, in six countries: thank you. This only happens because of you. Here's what I keep coming back to: we built this entire company on the worst possible timing, and it still worked. So I've stopped believing much in "the right time." There's just the decision, and what you do after it. What are you not building right now because the timing feels wrong? Ours was wrong too. We built it anyway. Standing still was never the plan. #GlobalBusiness #Retail #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #BrandBuilding #Growth #RAWGroup
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Gareth Gillatt shared this9 weeks. Steyn City. Sold out. What a weekend at LIV Golf South Africa. From an initial call to a fully curated fan merchandise collection we delivered on site; designed, developed and executed end to end by our team in ~9 weeks. A huge effort and special mention to Brad Conlong, Charlie Heath and Muhammad Nazmul Karim. But if I’m honest… this one felt different for me and Adam Walsh. We were lucky enough to spend two days in the Lions Den (Eagle’s View) and the atmosphere was incredible. I’ve only really experienced that kind of energy at the Ryder Cup… an event with nearly 100 years of history. For LIV Golf to recreate something close to that in South Africa is a huge credit to the team, the players and everyone involved in delivering Steyn City. And the emotion from the players said everything. It took me back to standing on the first tee at The K Club, watching Darren Clarke receive that reception; moments like that stay with you. That’s when you realise… this is more than just another golf event. And for me, as someone who’s spent a lifetime around the game and now as a father of two girls seeing a new, younger, more diverse audience engaged and entertained like this is genuinely exciting. It feels like a seminal moment for golf. For golf in Africa. And for LIV Golf specifically. 👉 The demand is real 👉 The audience is different 👉 And the opportunity across merchandise on course, off course, player and event specific is absolutely huge We leaned into that. Blending elevated clubhouse product with more expressive, streetwear inspired pieces designed for how people actually engage with the game today. Speed + product + relevance = sell-through success. That’s the new benchmark. You can see a snapshot of the range in the images below. Beyond the product, this feels like part of a much bigger shift. LIV Golf has had its critics but there’s no doubt they’re growing the game and capturing the imagination of a new generation. And from where we sit at RAW… that’s incredibly exciting. A huge thank you to Victoria Hawksley, Tracy Craig and the LIV Golf team for their trust and empowering us. To Daneel Steinmann CA(SA) and Old School Brand for the introduction and partnership. A special weekend. And we’re only just getting started — watch out 2027.
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Gareth Gillatt shared thisMost property developments today are optimised for margin per square foot. One of the reasons I chose to support and invest alongside Artform is that their philosophy is a little different. The focus is on creating beautiful, well curated and genuinely functional spaces often taking neglected or underused buildings and bringing them back to life with real care and attention to detail. It’s not always the most margin optimised route, but it’s one rooted in craft, pride and long term impact. The House at Seam is a great example of that thinking in practice. Huge credit to Artform, Dowen Farmer Architects, S C E N E S M I T H, Articulate Engineering, and the wider team who helped bring it to life. Always rewarding to see a once tired space transformed into something thoughtful and enduring.Gareth Gillatt shared this🪡 The House at Seam is now complete. We’re proud to share the finished home - a three-bedroom house in Dalston shaped by thoughtful design and careful craftsmanship. Key moments include the sunken living space finished in chestnut-flecked terrazzo, a curved kitchen island by LEICHT Küchen AG, and a calm principal suite with walk-in wardrobe, peach porcelain tiled bathroom and a sculptural curved shower wall. Natural light flows throughout the home through fluted glazing, floor-to-ceiling windows, skylights and doors leading out onto two private terraces. Projects like this are always a collaborative effort, and we’re incredibly grateful to the talented team who helped bring Seam to life. Architecture: Dowen Farmer Architects Interior Architecture & Design: S C E N E S M I T H Structural Engineering: Articulate Engineering If you'd like to book a viewing, please contact our friends at Aucoot. 📖 Brochure: https://lnkd.in/ecvh_bNW 💻 Listing: https://lnkd.in/e8rCSbba
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Gareth Gillatt shared thisGreat to see Tillo celebrating 10 years. Naturally, I still remember the early days with lots of conversations, company meetings, team socials and plenty of whiteboards covered in my fairly chaotic scribbles as we tried to figure out how to connect brands, platforms and consumers through a single digital rewards infrastructure. The vision was simple but ambitious: digitise the world of gift cards and rewards. I stepped away five years ago, but it’s been great to see Tillo continue to grow and succeed especially nice to see many familiar faces from the early days still part of the journey, with some of those original relationships still going strong. From very humble beginnings, it’s amazing to see what that original idea grew into. Building something from nothing is never easy but it’s amazing what can grow from a simple idea, a whiteboard and a group of people who believe in it. Congratulations to the team on this amazing milestone.Gareth Gillatt shared thisToday marks 10 years of Tillo 🎉 A decade of growth, billions processed, and rewards, incentives, and gift cards delivered on a global scale. Over the past 10 years, Tillo has grown from an idea into a global network connecting brands and buyers with the consumers they want to reach. But milestones like this are never achieved alone. To our brands and buyers around the world, thank you for your continued trust and partnership. We truly value the relationships we’ve built together over the past decade. 🙏 We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of the journey so far. Here’s to the next chapter 🥂 #TilloTurns10
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Gareth Gillatt shared thisHuge congratulations to Sean Brown, Daniel Jones and the entire Versori team on their acquisition by Avalara. I had the opportunity to invest in Versori shortly after their YC journey in 2022 and it’s been fantastic watching Sean and Dan build and evolve the product over the past few years. One of the things I’ve always believed about early stage companies is how important belief and validation can be in those early days. Sometimes all a founder needs is someone willing to say “I see what you’re building and I’m backing you.” What impressed me most with Versori was the team’s ability to continually refine and reshape the product; always focussed on solving real problems and building something that could scale globally. As someone who grew up in the North West myself, it makes it even more special backing a Manchester based founding team. Congratulations to everyone involved and excited to see what comes next for Sean and Daniel as Versori, by Avalara.
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Gareth Gillatt shared thisRAW turns 6 today. Feels like five minutes. In reality, it’s been six years of graft. Starting again in a completely new industry at this stage of life has been very humbling. I didn’t walk into fashion and apparel with a deep network or long trusted partners and if I’m honest, I thought I might be taking things a bit easier by now. Instead it’s been the opposite. New industry, new lessons, new relationships. I’ve loved being a student again. Six years (two of them in Covid…) spent earning trust, making mistakes, learning the game and quietly building across sourcing, manufacturing, licensing and brand building. We’re still seen by many as a small fish in a very big pond which is fair enough. We’ve just kept our heads down. Time tends to reveal things. None of this has happened alone. And none of it by chance. Adam Walsh: co-founder, partner and a real pleasure to be on this journey with. James Pike and Jonathan Munro: RAW OGs, in the trenches with me daily through Covid and now two of the most talented operators in the industry. Muhammad Nazmul Karim in Bangladesh delivering phenomenal growth and leadership. @Shahin in Hong Kong unlocking our true potential with backing and belief. And our wider team globally who are a humble group of grafters (as we’d say up north). I’m not always in the London office, but their standards and care never go unnoticed. With this lot, I genuinely think we could go all the way. We’ve spent six years laying foundations, building relationships and investing in the tech underneath it all. Excited about AI. Excited about our partners. And excited about where product development and supply chains are heading. At some point, we’ll show a bit more of what makes RAW…truly different. From day one, we’ve always said we’re “made different”. Building a fashion business at the start of Covid while scaling another company probably gave me the perspective (and maybe the fabric) to discover what may be the most meaningful chapter yet. To everyone who’s backed us, worked with us or taken a chance on us; thank you. We don’t take it lightly. Still early. Still building. Onwards. GG
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Gareth Gillatt shared this“It’s nice to know that any day you wish, you can change your whole life.” That line from Jim Rohn has stuck with me for years. He’s been a quiet guide through chaos, change, and growth; a constant reminder that transformation can start at any moment. As I prepare for what could be one of the most pivotal trips yet for our team (Adam Walsh and James Pike) at RAW, I’ve been reflecting on a night that changed everything for me. Late 2019. The Hoxton Hotel, London. Just a casual drink, an initial chat, an idea. That meeting completely shifted the trajectory of my life; my relationships, my partnerships, my priorities, even the way I think. Change doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes it’s a quiet moment. A chance meeting. A decision to show up. Tomorrow I’m heading to an intimate business dinner, and I have that same sense of curiosity because you never know who you’ll meet or what might unfold. Change has been front of mind this week. A close friend (Louise Tamadon-Nejad) announced she’s closing her café after three amazing years. I’m sad, but mostly proud of her courage to leap, to learn, and to close a chapter knowing something greater awaits. And after a recent boys’ weekend, I found myself challenging one of my oldest friends to make a change too. These posts aren’t clickbait or ego. They’re real reflections. I struggle, I question, I grow; just like everyone else. But one thing I’ve learned: courage to change can transform everything. So here’s my challenge to you: - Take the meeting. - Read the book. - Start the habit. - Say yes. Because maybe, just maybe, one small choice tomorrow could change your whole life.
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Gareth Gillatt shared thisI love sport. I love golf. I love competition. Watching Europe’s Ryder Cup victory this weekend left me thinking less about the putts holed and more about leadership. There are always questions and opinions around what makes a great leader. Luke Donald didn’t just captain the team he created the conditions for absolute brilliance. The talent was already there, but he built the environment, culture and clarity that allowed the players to dig deeper, find that extra gear, and deliver something extraordinary. It made me reflect on our journey at RAW. When Adam Walsh and I started the business five years ago, something interesting started to happen. Over time, a number of people who had worked with Adam in his previous role found their way to RAW. The talent was the same. The difference was the environment. Previously, their potential had been capped by internal structures, culture, or leadership that didn’t unlock what was already there. At RAW, under a new way of thinking, a new culture and a new leadership style, specifically from the likes of Adam Walsh, James Pike and Muhammad Nazmul Karim, these people are thriving. And when they thrive it's no surprise that so does the overall business. That’s the real lesson. Great leadership is less about the individual at the top, and more about creating a place where people feel empowered, mentored, and trusted. When you care for people, they care for you. When you obsess over the details and bring like minded people together, magic happens. Yes, Europe won the Ryder Cup because of great golf - no doubt. But the reason those great shots came at the right moments was because a leader built the cauldron where belief and purpose could turn into brilliance. That’s true in sport. And it’s true in business.
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Gareth Gillatt shared this🚨 We're Hiring: Full Stack Developer (with an Airtable edge) 👉 Apply below 15 years building tech businesses. I thought starting RAW would mean stepping away from that world but with the rise of AI, no/low-code, and the broken systems still plaguing supply chains…I’m diving back in deeper than ever. This isn’t just a job. It’s the beginning of a new technical chapter at RAW. One where we get to redefine how products are procured, made, and delivered. We’re building something special: ⚡ A high-growth, high ambition business 🧠 A close knit team obsessed with excellence 🛠 Airtable (and other tools) powering intelligent, automated workflows 🌍 A unique opportunity to make a global impact 🚀 And a department that’s about to take off If you’re a passionate, dedicated developer who thrives in fast-paced environments and loves solving real-world problems with elegant code this is your calling. Join us at the very beginning and help shape the architecture, team and the future. Let’s build the future of commerce; smarter, faster, and with soul. #Hiring #TechJobs #FullStackDeveloper #Airtable #SupplyChain #AI #LowCode #NoCode #Startups #RawGroup #ProductDevelopment I’m #hiring.
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Gareth Gillatt liked thisGareth Gillatt liked thisJuly - Tillo style… we ramp things up a level ⬆️ ✅ TilloFest ✅ TilloConnect Summit ✅ TilloConnect IMA USA The industry is a genuinely special and unique one and so are the people I get to work with everyday✨ More personally, I also had the chance to speak at the amazing EVOLVE: Shaping Tomorrow event this summer too on Brand in the Age of AI 🤖, a topic I care deeply about. Thank you so much Steve Rackley and Grace Prior for having me and congrats on such a great event 👏 2026 has been a big year and we continue at pace, but sometimes it’s important to take a little step back and breathe and reflect (or take a day off and take your youngest to the water park in my case…) Happy weekend when you get there ☀️
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Gareth Gillatt liked thisGareth Gillatt liked thisToday we opened the Orlando Pirates Football Club store at Mall of Africa, and it was the largest turnout Old School Brand has ever had for a store launch. We had queues throughout the entire day, an unbelievable atmosphere and, incredibly, the highest single-day sales from one store in the history of Old School, also the largest online day in their history. The beautiful new adidas Orlando Pirates range absolutely stole the show. That is what this club and these supporters do. But beyond the numbers, I took a moment last night to reflect on the journey. To be trusted to build something like this with one of the most iconic football clubs on the continent is an enormous privilege. A massive thank you to the Chairman and the entire Orlando Pirates team for trusting us with the brand and the opportunity. What a special moment for our team. So much work went into making this store and launch possible, and seeing the supporters arrive in their numbers made every part of it worthwhile. An incredible launch. An incredible club. And hopefully only the beginning of what we can build together. Not everyone wants to see the new guy win- We are fine with that, because this was never really about us. Old School exists to bring people together through product, and in this country that is the whole idea. Today, different backgrounds stood together for the same badge and built something none of us could have built on our own. One plus one equals three. Once and Always. 🏴☠️ Uli Boezaart Douglas Grieve Stephan Steinmann
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Gareth Gillatt liked thisGareth Gillatt liked thisGenuinely humbled to have received the IMA President's Award at this year's Incentive Marketing Association Summit in Baltimore. This award recognises people who've actively helped grow awareness of incentives and supported suppliers in our industry through education, training, research and marketing — and it's decided by peers, which is what makes it mean so much to me. Over 25 years in this industry, I've learned from and grown alongside people across Europe, North America and MEAPAC who've been generous with their time and knowledge. This feels as much theirs as it does mine. At the end of all the complexity we navigate day to day — value chains, commercial structures, processes — there's a real person being recognised. That's what keeps me motivated, and it's a privilege to be recognised by the community that does this work alongside me. Thank you to the IMA and to everyone who's been part of the journey. More on the award here - https://lnkd.in/gPyy2btd
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Gareth Gillatt liked thisGareth Gillatt liked this🧭 In this quarter's Compass, our Matrix Pod experts discuss how geopolitical tensions, macro uncertainty and widening dispersion across regions and markets are shaping the fixed income outlook. Watch this short video as James Vokins, Head of Investment Grade Credit and Core Income, gives a brief overview of the Q3 2026 Compass, which can be found on our website, along with a downloadable PDF. Read our analysis in full 👇 https://bit.ly/4vVPQT0 #FixedIncome #EMD #Credit #Geopolitics #CompassCompass Q3: Invest for resilience in a still uncertain worldCompass Q3: Invest for resilience in a still uncertain world
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Gareth Gillatt liked thisGareth Gillatt liked thisEnjoying our week in London meeting with ADP, new employees, exploring exciting new opportunities and partnerships. Nicole O'Brien Nigel Ilsley #ADP #FosterThomas #HCM
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Gareth Gillatt liked thisGareth Gillatt liked thisFor three years, Daneel Steinmann CA(SA) built Old School Brand late at night after full days at a job that had nothing to do with it. He was getting no salary from the business. Today, Old School runs 22 stores. Two Liverpool stores. Four Springbok stores. Two Orlando Pirates. Partnerships with the Springboks, Manchester City, Liverpool and the NBA. Around 320 people across head office, retail and warehouse. But rewind to 2019. Steinmann and his brother were students, squatting over a pile of green and gold jerseys wrapped in plastic bags. No product yet. Just an Instagram post saying if enough people wanted the jersey, they would make it. Comments flooded in. So they made it. And for the next three years, that was the whole business. A side hustle running alongside Steinmann's chartered accountancy articles, splitting his week between a real job and a growing pile of orders. Then in 2023, watching a fight from his flat in London, something shifted. He decided it was time to go all in. I think about that decision a lot. Not because it was dramatic. He had no business plan when he made it. Just a feeling that half in and all in are not two versions of the same thing. One of them costs you a salary. The other one costs you the excuse. The following year, the day before Old School opened its first store, a letter arrived from SA Rugby. They had made a vintage Springbok jersey without understanding how licensing worked. It looked like the whole business could unravel overnight. Instead of fighting it, Steinmann sat down with SA Rugby and asked what they actually wanted. It turned out to be closer to what he was already building. Springbok stores. A premium fan line. A shared vision neither side had said out loud yet. "Relationships will never be completely objective, because people are subjective," he said. It reframed everything that came before it, the near miss, the letter, the years of assuming business was just a commercial equation. Old School did not start paying Steinmann back the day he had a good idea. It started paying him back the day he stopped treating it as something he did after hours. PS: Every Sunday I send one email for founders and creatives who are building something that actually means something to them. Inside you will find real stories, practical strategies, and honest lessons on growing your LinkedIn presence. No noise. No fluff. Just clarity. Join us for free here: https://shorturl.at/TJTdt
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Gareth Gillatt liked this10 years ago today, I walked into the Kubix | Shopify Platinum Partner office for the first time. I was 16, naive, still figuring out who I was, with no real plan beyond turning up and preaching Shopify. College wasn't for me, that much I did know! 😅 Looay gave me a chance, and I've 'grown up' alongside the business ever since. He's taught me more than I could list, eloquence, thinking beyond the tech, dealing with people and ultimately, thinking differently. More than any CV or college course ever could! From a team of 3 in a tiny office to now a team of almost 50, I've watched Kubix become something genuinely special - I've been grateful to grow with it every step of the way. Last week I was at Shopify DotDev in Toronto with Looay and some of the team. Ten years ago, attending Shopify (Unite back then?) seemed a pipe dream. I'd never have imagined being at one on the other side of the Atlantic with people I now consider friends. Absolutely none of it happens without the clients who've backed us and made this possible - some from the very start. To everyone who's been part of this, thank you - it's a genuine pleasure ❤️
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Gareth Gillatt liked thisGareth Gillatt liked thisVery proud of the team for launching our first international football nation partnership through our licence with the @French Football Federation. Ironically, from a launch timing perspective, we are probably a good two months late to the party. But at Old School Brand, we made a very clear decision that we would never jeopardise the quality of the process just to launch faster. When we launch something like this, the product needs to be world-class. Could the timing have been better? Definitely. But there were so many things we needed to be 100% sure of before putting this range into the market. Ultimately, I believe the product will speak for itself. For any French football admirer, supporter or collector, this is a timeless range. And with the Euros loading again in two years’ time, we see this as the start of a much bigger cycle, not just a once-off launch moment. A massive thank you to the entire team who worked on this. It is a very special product, and a very proud moment for Old School.
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