Digital Clubhouse: 3x More Conversions and a Smarter Tech Stack: Lessons from Salesfire’s Rich Himsworth

From a bootstrapped beer marketplace to SaaS tools powering 3x conversions, July’s Digital Clubhouse cut through the hype and gave us the raw, real stories behind eCommerce growth. We heard from founders, technologists, and brand leads who are building smarter businesses, focusing less on vanity metrics and more on integration, alignment, and the messy middle of scaling.

Rich Himsworth, Salesfire: From Overlays to Engineered Conversions

Rich took us behind the curtain at Salesfire, the fast-growing SaaS platform now used by over 600 eCommerce brands across the UK. But this wasn’t a story about product features, it was about evolution and the importance of understanding how to turn innovation into actual results.

Originally launched as a simple overlay tool – think exit-intent pop-ups and basic conversion nudges – Salesfire has grown into a full-suite solution for on-site optimisation, search, email remarketing, and intelligent product discovery.

“What we started with was simple. What we have now is a system that moves people through the buying journey smarter, and much faster.”

One standout example: a new dynamic landing page banner that tripled email signups for a client within weeks. It’s that kind of experimentation – combined with tight feedback loops and customer collaboration – that has kept Salesfire competitive in a saturated CRO space.

But Rich didn’t shy away from the challenges either. Recruitment, particularly in tech, remains a pain point.

“The hardest hires today are not just technical; they’re commercial. Developers who understand impact, not just code.”

He advocated for better cross-training between dev and marketing teams, so technical features don’t get lost in translation, or buried in backlogs.

His closing advice? Don’t chase complexity for the sake of it. Focus on the micro-changes that compound over time. That’s where the conversion gold lives.

Rich Himsworth, CEO, Salesfire

Tap Door: Crafting a Marketplace From the Ground Up

Next up: Ollie Hunt, whose journey from flash developer to beer entrepreneur brought both grit and clarity to the Clubhouse stage.

Ollie is the founder of Tap Door, a UK-based online marketplace that connects consumers directly to over 100 independent craft breweries. What started as a passion project – frustrated by limited access to great beer – has now evolved into a viable (and growing) business with real traction.

But building a marketplace, especially in a regulated industry like alcohol, is no joke. Logistics, licensing, fulfillment, margins, and customer education all collide in a constant balancing act.

“There’s no playbook for what we’re doing. It’s part community, part commerce, and 100% problem-solving.”

One of Ollie’s sharpest observations came in his take on platform choice. A vocal critic of how some platforms *cough* Shopify *cough* over-promise and under-deliver, Ollie stressed that agencies and tech partners need to prioritise fit over familiarity.

Ollie Hunt, Founder & CEO, Tap Door

Tap Door, instead, has built a multi-layer tech stack designed for flexibility and integration. They’re not chasing scale at all costs, they’re chasing sustainability, both operationally and financially.

Ollie also hinted at future plans: tighter B2B offerings, direct-to-brewery licensing support, and creating a branded experience that beer lovers can trust year round, not just during Dry Jan and IPA season.

Tim Mawson (Visualsoft) & Matt Holden (Moda): Building Beyond the Build

The final session of the day came from two heavyweights in the eCommerce space: Tim Mawson, Head of Commercial at Visualsoft, and Matt Holden, Commercial Director at Moda In Pelle.

Together, they offered a double perspective on how agencies and brands can work better together from tech stack decisions to customer lifecycle management.

Tim set the scene with a clear message: eCommerce isn’t just about building stores anymore. It’s about unlocking commercial outcomes through strategic tech integration.

“You don’t need more tools. You need the right ones working together, cleanly and transparently.”

He outlined Visualsoft’s shift from platform-first to consultative growth partner, helping clients navigate the noise of SaaS and choose tools that actually drive performance.

He also acknowledged that the agency-client relationship needs to evolve past project scopes and into ongoing advisory roles, especially as eCommerce businesses become more complex and omnichannel.

Matt, speaking from the brand side at Moda, shared how his team has grown from 20 to 40 stores, all while refining their online-to-offline customer experience.

He spoke candidly about the challenges of launching a loyalty club that didn’t quite land—and the lessons learned around customer data, segmentation, and not over-complicating things for users.

Matt Holden & Tim Mawson

The real gem? Their approach to unifying stock systems between online and in-store, a move that’s reduced customer friction, improved fulfilment accuracy, and helped retail staff feel more empowered.

Their session sparked a lot of Q&A from agency attendees, particularly around Martech consolidation, retention strategies, and the psychology of reorders.

Tony’s Takeaways

1. Simple Changes Compound

From Salesfire’s banners to Moda’s stock sync, small improvements (executed well) can drive massive gains over time. Don’t overlook the basics.

2. Know Your Platform’s Limits

Ollie’s takedown of one-size-fits-all solutions hit home. Agencies: recommend platforms based on fit, not kickbacks. Founders: ask harder questions before signing tech contracts.

3. Loyalty Needs More Than Points

Moda’s experience proves loyalty schemes can’t just be slapped on. They need a proper value exchange, rooted in what customers actually want.

4. Build Cross-Functional Teams

Salesfire’s dev-commercial disconnect is a challenge across the industry. Founders need marketers who understand tech, and developers who understand outcomes.

5. “Omnichannel” Isn’t Optional

As Matt put it, customers don’t see channels. They see your brand. Make sure your backend systems – and your staff – are ready to meet that expectation.