eCommerce Success Story: Showpo or the Vision of a Pioneer

It is one of those ventures that combines many inspiring variables: business idea, ethical positioning... but what truly stands out is the vision and character of the CEO of Showpo.

By the way, I have not mentioned it yet, but it is a women's fashion brand, originally from Australia, that has become a multinational thanks to the possibilities of eCommerce for selling abroad.

In this case, I will allow myself to focus a lot on the CEO of Showpo. It is not out of whim, but because I genuinely believe she represents many interesting aspects for any current or potential entrepreneur. Keep reading, and you'll discover why.

Jane Lu, Showpo´s president, used to work as an accountant. She was fairly well-paid, but it was not exciting, and it had nothing to do with her real passion: fashion.

After thinking it over for a long time, one morning in September 2010, she decided to leave the security of her 9-to-5 job to start selling clothing from emerging designers in pop-up stores.

Sometimes, we hear about cases like Jeff Bezos, who founded his company in his parents' garage. What is often overlooked is that, in addition to the garage, his parents invested $245,000, which is more than just a little help.

For Jane Lu, the situation was very different. It was not that her parents did not support her; it was that they were entirely unaware that she had left her job. She kept putting on her executive suit and leaving home punctually every morning, just so they would not worry.

Her determination was crystal clear, to the point where neither family pressure nor the debts accumulated from previous failed ventures held her back.

In this instance, with just a couple of shelves and a handful of well-chosen garments, things started to take off. Initially, the brand was called Show Pony, and by November, she had acquired her first physical location—in her parents' garage, of course.

Besides the idea of selling women’s clothing with somewhat exclusive designs, Jane Lu was sure about the need to exploit the digital channel. In fact, her first version of the online store was launched that same year, in 2010.

On this point, Jane Lu and her business partner disagreed. While Lu was adamant about the digital approach, her partner saw it as a strategic mistake and a waste of resources because “nobody was going to buy clothes online.” This difference in opinion ultimately led to the dissolution of the partnership and a rebranding of the same company, leading to its current name and image.

Showpo´s CEO has demonstrated above-average intuition and intelligence. She carefully chose the product, target audience, business model (which we will discuss next), and sales channels.

Additionally, she has become a significant figure in the entrepreneurial landscape of her country. She has published an entrepreneurship method based on her experience called The Lazy CEO, which also includes her own podcast. She is a key figure in an irreverent group of entrepreneurs known as Like-Minded Bitches Drinking Wine, and she offers mentorship services at a fairly affordable price (for what these types of sessions usually cost).

As I warned you earlier, I was going to elaborate on the CEO of the company, but it was well worth it to examine all the facets. Now, let’s talk a bit about the journey and business model.

As we mentioned, Showpo. (or Show Pony) started with a model that included physical stores, an online store, and a Facebook page.

By 2013, three years after its founding, the brand already had offices and up to three physical stores. They sold women’s fashion, with one distinctive feature: they offered a size range from the smallest to the largest. It was not clothing specifically for larger people; the same models were adapted to different sizes.

In 2023, over a decade later, the business made an interesting pivot: it closed its three stores and became a 100% digital model. It seemed like a daring move, but time has proven it to be the best possible idea.

By focusing on the digital channel, the store’s popularity soared, as did its social media presence. They also started selling in the United States and, gradually, in a vast number of countries.