The SEFAR directory is open: the right help, not just any help
Today The Nest. SEFAR directory opens, and I want to tell you why it exists and why it works the way it does, because the way it works is the whole point.
Over the years I have met an enormous number of people in this industry. Consultants who know more about fit, fabric or compliance than anyone I have worked with. Businesses who do one thing brilliantly. Organisations and charities doing work that genuinely moves our sector forward. At some point I realised that those connections are one of the most valuable things I have, and that they are far more valuable shared with the brands we work with than sitting in my phone.
So that is what the SEFAR directory is: The Nest's curated network of the specialists I trust to support maternity, baby and children's product businesses. We open today with over 40 resources listed, across product design, technical, testing and compliance, digital product passports, sustainability and circularity, brand design, photography and styling, PR, social media and advertising, websites, B2B and wholesale, distributors, cross border selling, funding, legal, awards, and the trade and consumer magazines worth knowing. Take a look through it and see who is in there. I think you will be surprised how broad it is.
But it is not a list you work through on your own, and that is deliberate.
Something I see again and again is that the problem a business comes to us with is not always the problem that needs solving first. A brand tells me they need more buyers. Sometimes they do. Sometimes the real issue is the range, the margin, the pricing or the story, and more buyers would simply mean more people saying no. If I pointed that brand straight at a sales agency, the agency would do exactly what it was asked, in good faith, and the brand would spend its budget on the wrong thing at the wrong time and not get the result it was hoping for. Nobody would have done anything wrong. It would still be a waste.
That is why we invest our time at both ends. We get to know every consultant and partner business in the directory properly: what they are genuinely brilliant at, how they like to work, and where they fit. And when a business comes to us, we invest the same time in understanding what is actually going on. It is that understanding of both sides that makes the difference.
Here is how it works in practice. You browse the directory and see who is there. When someone looks like a fit, you talk to us first. We have an honest conversation about what you need, and if they are the right person, and everyone is in agreement, we make a warm introduction. We facilitate the first meeting. We help agree the rules of engagement and the scope of the project, so everyone knows what is being delivered, by when and for what. Then we step back and let the work happen. We are always in the background if anyone needs us, but the relationship is yours.
What this means for you: you are not choosing from a list of strangers, and you are not paying to find out the hard way that you asked for the wrong thing. You are getting the right help, introduced by someone who knows both sides.
The SEFAR directory is open to members of The Nest. Founding members, anyone who joins before 1st January 2027, keep free access for as long as they remain a member. A subscription fee begins for new members from the New Year. If you have been meaning to join, now is the time.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the SEFAR directory?
The Nest's curated network of consultants, partner businesses, organisations and charities who support maternity, baby and children's product businesses, with over 40 resources listed at launch. Every listing is someone we know and trust, and we know where each one fits.
Why do I contact The Nest before contacting a specialist?
Because the problem a business arrives with is often not the one that needs solving first. A short conversation with us means you spend your budget on the right help at the right time, and the specialist you meet already understands what you need.
What happens after the introduction?
We facilitate the first meeting and help agree the scope and rules of engagement, so everyone is clear on what is being delivered. Then we step back and let the work proceed, and we stay in the background if anyone needs support.
How much does it cost?
Joining is free for founding members. Anyone who joins before 1st January 2027 keeps free access for as long as they remain a member. A subscription fee begins for new members from the New Year.
Have a look through the SEFAR directory, and if you are not sure who you need, that is exactly the conversation to have with us first. Get in touch with The Nest.
The Nest News lands every Tuesday: three insights shaping maternity, baby and children's products, and the actions you can take. Sign up at https://www.thenest.uk.com/the-nest-news-signup
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