Sharing its content across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube has led to the Brooki Bakehouse garnering more than 3.5 million followers.
Before embarking on life as an entrepreneur, Brooke Bellamy roamed the world as a travel writer. In her decade-long career, she visited over 70 countries, where she would write stories and capture images of her travels for her blog and various magazines and newspapers.
While on the road, the idea of being a business owner began to take form. “I got to see and experience a lot of great businesses around the world,” Brooke explains. “I always had a desire to own and operate my own business.” Brooke has loved baking since she was young and had dreams of having a bakery. So, in May 2022, she opened Brooki Bakehouse, the business that brought together her love for baking and her rich travel experiences.
Brooke describes her business as “Paris meets New York”, set in a tiny but elegant spot in Brisbane. “I wanted the bakery to be inspired by places I had visited, but not reminiscent of any one place in particular,” she explains. “It was important to me that the bakery had its own unique personality, which was evident from the moment you stepped inside.”
Brooke put all her savings into the business, leaving few resources at her disposal to promote it. She turned to social media, as it has a proven record as an effective marketing tool, providing greater reach with little-to-no risk. Initially, Brooke shared Brooki Bakehouse’s daily menu in her Instagram stories. But things began to take off when she joined TikTok eight months later and began posting ‘a day in the life’-type videos on the platform. These videos would achieve viral popularity overnight, which translated into a growing customer base. “We had a slow trickle of customers coming into the bakery after discovering it online, and within weeks we were noticeably busier, which encouraged me to continue posting almost daily,” she shares.
While Brooki Bakehouse achieved phenomenal success through TikTok, Brooke was deliberate in not concentrating her marketing efforts on that platform alone. Instead, she sought to bolster her marketing on Instagram while also setting up a YouTube channel.
The decision to get into YouTube was a strategic one. “Typically, TikTok is a platform more popular with a younger audience, whereas YouTube has a much wider audience, in terms of age but also geographic location and interests,” Brooke explains. “It made sense to share the content across a few platforms to tap into new audiences, which led to us growing to more than 3.5 million followers across these platforms. All three of these platforms have proved successful in their own right, but it is certainly video content that has outshone any other type of content.”
The use of these social media channels has enabled Brooki Bakehouse to reach a customer base far beyond Australia. The support from the brand’s international audience encouraged Brooki Bakehouse to offer international shipping to places such as New Zealand, the US, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and Hong Kong. This international interest also inspired Brooke to create online classes, which helped increase the brand’s engagement with its followers.
Brooke is also set to publish her debut cookbook, something she never would have dreamt possible without the community she was able to build and grow through social media. “This would have taken much longer to achieve had I not focused on growing an online community of people who love baking just as much as I do,” she adds.
This story was originally published on Inside Small Business.
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Sharing its content across Instagram, TikTok and YouTube has led to the Brooki Bakehouse garnering more than 3.5 million followers. Before embarking on life as an entrepreneur, Brooke Bellamy roamed the world as a travel writer. In her decade-long career, she visited over 70 countries, where she would write stories and capture images of her
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Amazon’s Impact on Global Supply Chains and Logistics
Amazon, the global e-commerce behemoth, has transformed not only the way consumers shop but also the intricacies of global supply chains and logistics. Since its inception in 1994, Amazon has grown from a small online bookstore to a trillion-dollar enterprise that has disrupted industries across the globe. Its influence extends far beyond retail, profoundly impacting supply chains, logistics, and even the environment. This article explores Amazon’s multifaceted impact on global supply chains and logistics, examining how the company has reshaped these industries and what this means for the future.
The Evolution of Amazon’s Supply Chain
Amazon’s supply chain is one of the most sophisticated in the world, characterized by its efficiency, speed, and scale. The company has invested heavily in technology and infrastructure to build a supply chain that can deliver millions of products to customers in a matter of hours or days. This rapid delivery is made possible by a vast network of fulfillment centers, sophisticated inventory management systems, and a logistics arm that rivals traditional carriers like FedEx and UPS.
One of the key innovations Amazon has introduced is its Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service. FBA allows third-party sellers to store their products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, with Amazon handling the picking, packing, and shipping of these products. This service has not only made it easier for small businesses to reach a global audience but has also significantly increased the volume of goods flowing through Amazon’s supply chain. As a result, Amazon has become a central hub in the global supply chain, connecting manufacturers, suppliers, and customers across the world.
Disruption of Traditional Logistics
Amazon’s influence on logistics is equally profound. The company’s relentless focus on speed and efficiency has forced traditional logistics providers to rethink their strategies. In many cases, Amazon has bypassed traditional logistics networks entirely by building its own. Amazon Logistics, the company’s delivery arm, has grown rapidly in recent years, with a fleet of planes, trucks, and delivery vans that allow the company to control every aspect of the delivery process.
This vertical integration has enabled Amazon to offer services like same-day and two-hour delivery in many urban areas, setting a new standard for speed in the industry. Traditional logistics providers have struggled to keep up, leading to increased competition and innovation in the sector. For example, companies like FedEx and UPS have had to invest in new technology and infrastructure to remain competitive, while others have formed partnerships with Amazon to leverage its vast logistics network.
Amazon’s logistics network has also expanded globally, with the company establishing regional hubs and fulfillment centers in key markets around the world. This global expansion has allowed Amazon to offer faster and more reliable delivery services in regions where traditional logistics infrastructure is underdeveloped. In many cases, Amazon has played a role in building out this infrastructure, partnering with local logistics providers or investing in its own facilities.
Impact on Global Supply Chains
Amazon’s impact on global supply chains extends beyond logistics. The company’s demand for speed and efficiency has rippled through the entire supply chain, from manufacturers to suppliers to retailers. This has led to significant changes in how companies operate, with many adopting new technologies and strategies to keep up with Amazon’s pace.
One of the most significant changes is the increased reliance on automation and technology in supply chain management. Amazon has been at the forefront of this trend, investing heavily in robotics, artificial intelligence, and data analytics to optimize its supply chain operations. For example, the company’s use of robotics in its fulfillment centers has reduced the time it takes to pick and pack orders, while its AI-driven demand forecasting tools help ensure that the right products are always in stock.
This emphasis on technology has influenced other companies to follow suit, leading to a wave of digital transformation across the industry. Manufacturers and suppliers are increasingly using data analytics and AI to optimize their operations, while retailers are adopting new technologies like blockchain to improve transparency and traceability in their supply chains.
Another significant impact of Amazon on global supply chains is the shift towards a more customer-centric model. Amazon’s focus on the customer has forced companies to rethink their supply chain strategies, with many now prioritizing speed, convenience, and flexibility over cost. This has led to the adoption of new fulfillment models, such as just-in-time inventory and dropshipping, which allow companies to respond more quickly to changes in customer demand.
The globalization of Amazon’s supply chain has also had broader implications for international trade. By connecting sellers and buyers from different parts of the world, Amazon has made it easier for companies to access global markets. However, this has also led to increased competition, with companies now competing on a global scale. This has put pressure on manufacturers and suppliers to lower costs and improve efficiency, leading to changes in how goods are produced and distributed around the world.
Environmental and Social Implications
While Amazon’s impact on supply chains and logistics has been largely positive in terms of efficiency and convenience, it has also raised concerns about the environmental and social implications of its operations. The company’s emphasis on fast delivery and the constant movement of goods around the world has contributed to increased carbon emissions and environmental degradation. In response to these concerns, Amazon has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and has invested in initiatives like electric delivery vehicles and renewable energy projects.
However, critics argue that these efforts are not enough, and that Amazon’s business model is fundamentally unsustainable. The constant pressure to deliver goods faster and cheaper has led to concerns about the working conditions in Amazon’s fulfillment centers and the treatment of delivery drivers. Reports of long hours, high injury rates, and low wages have sparked protests and calls for better labor practices across the company’s global operations.
The Future of Supply Chains and Logistics
As Amazon continues to grow and evolve, its impact on global supply chains and logistics is likely to deepen. The company’s investments in technology and infrastructure will continue to set new standards for speed and efficiency, forcing other companies to innovate and adapt. At the same time, the environmental and social challenges associated with Amazon’s operations will require the company to rethink its approach to sustainability and labor practices.
In the future, we can expect to see more companies adopting Amazon-like supply chain strategies, with an emphasis on speed, technology, and customer-centricity. However, these changes will also require a greater focus on sustainability and ethical practices, as consumers and regulators increasingly demand more responsible business operations.
Conclusion
Amazon’s impact on global supply chains and logistics is undeniable. The company has reshaped the industry in its image, setting new standards for speed, efficiency, and customer service. While these changes have brought many benefits, they have also raised important questions about sustainability and labor practices. As the world’s largest online retailer, Amazon will continue to play a central role in the future of global supply chains and logistics, driving innovation and change across the industry.
