April 2026, London.
Ecom Insiders, the community for the UK’s fastest-growing ecommerce brands, launched with Ecom Unlocked, an invite-only event for DTC operators at Klaviyo’s London HQ.
On 30 April 2026, Ecom Insiders officially launched with Ecom Unlocked, an invite-only afternoon for founders and operators from some of the UK’s fastest-growing DTC brands. Hosted by Underground Ecom and ConversionWise at Klaviyo‘s London HQ, it was a full house, and for a large crowd, the engagement and participation were fantastic.
Why we started Ecom Insiders
Our core philosophy is simple: get brands in the room that people actually want to hear from, and create a group where ecom operators can learn from genuine peers who have done it before.
Ecommerce is changing faster than ever this year. That’s daunting for brands trying to find their next avenue for growth, and for the service providers supporting them. Ecom Insiders is a community where people share exactly what works, learning from those who are already ahead of the curve.
Ecom Unlocked delivered that in force.
About Ecom Unlocked
Ecom Unlocked was designed as a small, high-quality room rather than a big conference. Places were limited to 50 brands and free for approved applicants, with every application reviewed to keep the conversation focused on operators who are building and scaling DTC businesses.
The afternoon brought together a keynote, a brand panel and practical sessions on conversion rate optimisation (CRO) and CRM, followed by time to connect.
Keynote: George Sullivan
George Sullivan, founder of The Sole Supplier, gave genuinely one of the best keynotes we’ve ever heard live. The Sole Supplier has grown from a side hustle into an eight-figure business and one of Nike’s biggest content partners.
George shared the strategy behind building an eight-figure brand with a Gen Z audience, and the story of how he got there. Thank you for sharing it so openly with the room.
The brand panel: AI, retention and where to focus for growth
Our panellists shared their insights on three of the biggest questions facing DTC brands right now: how AI is changing ecommerce, what good retention strategy looks like, and where brands should focus this year to grow.
A big thank you to our panellists:
- Nadine Killoran, Marketing Consultant, Ex Absolute Collagen
- Luke Bream, CEO Valentte
- Sam Matanle, Co-Founder, Batch LDN
- Chloe Walsh, CEO, Clomana Beauty
The panel explored how AI is changing the ecommerce space, from faster testing and smarter targeting to more personalised customer journeys. Two themes kept coming up: many brands are overspending in channels that aren’t delivering, and the tech alone isn’t enough, with brands still needing focus from real people, whether in house or through a specialist agency, to turn those tools into growth.
CRO and CRM, done properly
We also heard from two industry leaders: Oliver Kenyon Founder, ConversionWise and Mike Hall, Head of CRM at Underground Ecom. They ran the room through the power of CRO and CRM when they’re done properly.
Together, the two disciplines cover the whole customer journey. CRO turns more visitors into customers, and CRM turns those customers into repeat buyers. Brands that get both right make every pound spent on acquisition work harder.
Thank you to our partners
A final thank you to our partners Klaviyo and Triple Whale for making the event possible, and to Klaviyo for hosting us at their London HQ.
What’s next for Ecom Insiders
Ecom Unlocked was just the start. Since launch, Ecom Insiders has gone on to host its annual Summer Soirée in London and events in Brighton, and the Ecom Insiders community group is now open to brands.
We’re planning something pretty special for our next event. Follow Ecom Insiders on LinkedIn for updates, or here to join the community.
About Underground Ecom
Underground Ecom is a London-based CRM and retention marketing agency, specialising in email, SMS and lifecycle marketing for DTC and ecommerce brands. We’re a Klaviyo Master Elite Partner, Klaviyo Agency Partner of the Year EMEA 2025 and an accredited member of the Data & Marketing Association, and the team behind Ecom Insiders.
Sources
- Ecom Unlocked London event site
- Ecom Unlocked: London event page (Luma, agenda and venue)
