Clare Spelta, Founder and CEO of Bon Maxie, has spent the past decade turning everyday frustrations into clever, functional designs. What started as a side project on maternity leave has grown into a multi-million dollar accessories brand with a cult-like following. Known for her obsessive eye for product detail and her honest, playful brand voice, Clare has carved out a unique space in the ecommerce world.
In today’s Add To Cart episode, Clare sits down with Bushy to reflect on Bon Maxie’s 10-year journey, from the early days of handcrafting in a sawdust-filled garage to manufacturing internationally. She explains how she’s built a customer-first brand while also shaping her business to suit her family’s needs, rejecting the traditional idea of what a “big” business should look like.
Today, we’re discussing…
How Clare transformed a jewellery storage frustration into Bon Maxie’s first cult product, and what it took to move from hand-drilled plywood to scaled manufacturing.
The obsessive product design philosophy behind Bon Maxie’s bags, wallets, and organisers: from strap lengths to zipper strength.
The reality of outsourcing production overseas: quality control, communication challenges, and why understanding the process before you delegate is critical.
How Bon Maxie built a fiercely loyal community through authenticity, from late-night pizza box photoshoots to Betty White gifs in Facebook ads.
Why Clare believes messy, radically honest marketing cuts through more than polished perfection in today’s ecommerce landscape.
The shift from serving repeat customers to acquiring new ones, and how Clare adjusted her ad strategy, content, and product range to match.
Redefining success: what it means to grow a business on your own terms, balance family priorities, and design a lifestyle that works rather than chasing traditional scale.
0:00 Meet Claire and Bon Maxie4:50 From Maternity Leave to Business10:00 Manufacturing Challenges15:20 Non-Negotiable Quality Control17:52 Testing With Real Life Use22:10 Capturing Product Content Effectively28:30 Innovating with Content Creation31:20 Building Effective Bundles for Customers37:52 Designing Business Around Life42:20 Takeaways And Closing
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The post Obsess Over the Details, Win the Customers: Bon Maxie’s Clare Spelta on Smart Ecommerce Growth | #561 appeared first on Add To Cart.
