Amy Knight is rewriting the playbook for success in e-commerce. At just 28, she has built Must Have Ideas into a powerhouse business generating £65 million in annual revenue. From packing orders on her dining room table to overseeing a 60,000-square-foot distribution centre, Amy’s journey is one of grit, determination, and a relentless drive to solve everyday problems for households across the UK.
Turning an Idea into Reality
Amy’s entrepreneurial spirit emerged early. While studying law at the University of Kent, she gained hands-on experience as a warehouse manager at Ecoegg – a company specialising in eco-friendly household products. It was here that she first encountered the power of digital marketing and content creation. Once she graduated, rather than pursuing the legal career she was studying for, Amy channelled her creativity into launching her own business, inspired by a single product she discovered on holiday in the US – a silicone sponge.
“Starting small was key,” Amy recalls. “It allowed me to focus on learning and building a foundation.” Teaching herself Meta advertising through online courses and YouTube tutorials, she quickly realised the importance of data-driven decisions.
The vision for Must Have Ideas has grown from modest beginnings into something much bigger. “I wanted it to be a lifestyle business at first, but as the company grew, so did my ambitions. Diversifying our advertising strategies beyond Meta to platforms like TikTok and Google was essential for resilience.”
Navigating Challenges
Like any startup, Must Have Ideas faced its fair share of obstacles. Cash flow was a major challenge, especially in the early days. Global events like the Covid-19 pandemic and the shipping crisis put further strain on the business, leading to soaring container costs and stock delays.
“These were tough times, but they taught me valuable lessons,” Amy says. “Flexibility is key. You need to be prepared to adapt and make quick decisions.”
Amy also highlights the importance of perseverance during difficult periods. “When things get tough, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. For me, the solution has always been to stay focused and keep moving forward.”
Building a Culture of Excellence
One of the defining features of Must Have Ideas is its emphasis on people – both employees and customers. Amy’s recruitment philosophy prioritises attitude and cultural fit over experience. “You can teach skills, but you can’t teach someone to align with your company’s values,” she says. This approach has fostered a loyal and motivated team of 156 employees, who help dispatch over 7,000 orders daily.
Customer service is another cornerstone of the business. With bold policies like a two-day delivery promise or the order is free, and a 100-day no-questions-asked money-back guarantee, Amy has created a business customers can trust. “Being the face of the brand has helped build those connections,” Amy explains. “It’s about trust and creating lasting relationships.”
Balancing Business and Family
Eighteen months into launching her business, Amy faced a new challenge – parenthood. Balancing her role as an entrepreneur with life as a mother of two young children required careful time management and a strong support system.
“Switching off is crucial,” Amy says. “You can’t give your best to your business or your family if you’re constantly burned out. Having clear boundaries and a solid routine has been vital.”
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Amy’s advice for others looking to start their own business is refreshingly straightforward:
- Be creative: Great content is the lifeblood of digital advertising.
- Test constantly: Never stop refining your strategies to see what works.
- Rely on data: Intuition is valuable, but data should guide your decisions.
She also emphasises the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. “Having a supportive team and network can make all the difference. You need people who share your vision and values.”
Looking Ahead
The future for Must Have Ideas is bright. Amy is focused on expanding the brand into new global markets, particularly the USA, and diversifying revenue streams to ensure long-term growth. With e-commerce projected to account for 23% of worldwide retail sales by 2027, the timing couldn’t be better.
“I believe we’re just getting started,” Amy says. “The opportunities for growth are immense, and I’m excited about what’s to come.”
A Trailblazer in E-commerce
Amy Knight’s journey is a testament to what’s possible with determination, adaptability and a clear vision. From her first Meta ad to leading one of the UK’s fastest-growing e-commerce businesses, Amy has proven that big dreams can start small and grow into something extraordinary.
With her commitment to innovation, exceptional customer service, and empowering her team, Amy continues to set new standards in e-commerce, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs to think big and take bold steps towards their own success.
About Amy Knight
Amy Knight is the 28-year-old entrepreneur, owner and Director of Must Have Ideas, one of the UK’s fastest growing e-commerce retailer companies.
In 2018 she graduated with a Law degree from the University of Kent, working as a warehouse manager during her studies at Ecoegg, a company making innovative environmentally friendly household, laundry and cleaning products.
On completing her degree, Amy remained at Ecoegg moving into the position of Head of Supply Chain Management where she worked for five months.
It didn’t take long for Amy’s entrepreneurial spirit to take over when she decided to do things her own way within the world of household and cleaning products.
Teaching herself digital marketing and all there is to know about social media, Amy took her first entrepreneurial steps into the realms of e-commerce – selling household goods and cleaning products by setting up Must Have Ideas with her two co-founders Rob Knight and Chris Finch.
From starting the business with an initial investment of £3,000 (£1,000 from each founder), today the business is generating an annual turnover of £65 Million.
- In 2023 Amy was featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 List for Europe, Retail and e-commerce category.
- In 2024 Must Have Ideas is featured on The Sunday Times Fastest Growing UK Companies List
- In 2024 Amy became an LDC Top 50 Leader – supported by The Times
- The Must Have Ideas TV Shopping Channel was launched in August 2024
Amy lives in Maidstone, with her husband Rob and her two young children.
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-knight-0b0822151/
Instagram – @musthaveideasuk
About Must Have Ideas
Founded in 2018 by husband-and-wife team Amy and Rob Knight, and their friend Chris Finch, Must Have Ideas has quickly become one of the UK’s fastest growing e-commerce businesses.
Having worked together previously, the three founders each bring very different skill sets to the business which has made for a successful leadership team.
Mum of two Amy, graduated with a Law degree but after deciding that business and marketing were her real passions, she quickly taught herself digital marketing.
Before co-founding Must Have Ideas, Rob created Ecoegg, an eco-friendly FMCG cleaning products business, now seen on the shelves of major supermarkets.
Chris brings a wealth of expertise in both business management and video commerce which has been a key route to market for the business.
Specialising in unique, problem-solving solutions, Must Have Ideas has grown rapidly – from packing orders on their dining table and storing stock in the spare room, they now employ a team of 135 people dispatching 7,000 orders a day from their state-of-the-art 40,000 sq ft. distribution centre in Kent.
With a passion for delivering a best-in-class customer experience and a relentless focus on data, specialist digital marketing strategies and advanced, custom-built technology, Must Have Ideas continues to grow rapidly with sales set to hit £65M in 2024.
Must Have Ideas is rated ‘Excellent’ from 108,496 reviews on Trustpilot
As a family-run business, its mantra is: to treat every single customer as we would want to be treated and three key promises of:
- Quick delivery
- 100-day money back guarantee
- and an easy returns process
Amy puts the success of the business down to, using data differently and says it’s “All about the marketing, keeping it simple and getting the product in front of the right people.”
The future of the company looks extremely bright with the intention of bringing in a second tier of management as part of a recruitment process that shows no sign of slowing, plus some ambitious plans to be implemented over the next five years.
- In December 2023, Must Have Ideas passed 100,000 reviews on Trustpilot – making it one of only a handful of businesses in the UK to achieve that significant milestone.
- In April 2024 Must Have Ideas became an accredited Living Wage Foundation employer.
- In August 2024 a dedicated Must Have Ideas TV Shopping Channel was launched.
- In September 2024 Must Have Ideas achieved a place on the Sunday Times, Fastest UK company’s 100 List