Doughnotts started with £10 and a side hustle mindset. Now it is multiple retail stores, big expansion plans, and a franchise model built around customer service.

In EP11 of Beyond SEO, Glen and Kevin sit down with Wade Smith to unpack the real story behind building one of Nottingham’s most recognised doughnut brands.

This episode covers the unglamorous bits people skip: learning by doing, brand naming battles, domain drama, retail economics, why business rates crush stores, and why Wade believes customer service outweighs product.

Chapters

00:00 Intro and guest welcome

00:55 Who Wade is and what Doughnotts is

02:12 The real origin story. Man vs Food, broke beginnings, first sales

07:19 Early lessons. Persistence, learning by doing, staying honest

08:14 Ego check. The Ferrari story and “business money is not your money”

13:57 Naming, rebrands, cease and desist letters, domains, trademarks

16:26 Becoming the face of the brand and managing public identity

25:26 Scaling decisions. Physical stores, supermarkets, and why Co-op did not work

26:40 The kiosk-on-wheels model. No rates, lower risk, faster expansion

29:04 Why experience matters. Lighting, vibe, and what brands like 200 Degrees get right

34:51 Online sales as a data engine, not just revenue

38:06 COVID. The bakery gamble, survival mindset, and the cookie pivot

40:05 If Doughnotts disappeared tomorrow. What Wade would do differently

42:28 UK investment reality. Due diligence, negotiations, underpromise and overdeliver

43:29 Franchising model, economics, and “customer service franchise” thinking

55:17 Where to follow Wade and Doughnotts

55:48 Outro

Follow Wade: @wadey_doughnotts

Doughnotts: https://doughnottsofficial.com/

Instagram and TikTok: @doughnottsofficial

Growthack: https://growthack.io/

Beyond SEO playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmk-iXDeDmI&list=PLyRi3SnB4M7bqeTm2Ku_kNhypxZeuUiSW

#BeyondSEO #Doughnotts #WadeSmith #Nottingham #Entrepreneurship #Hospitality #Retail #Franchising #BrandBuilding #CustomerExperience

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