Doughnotts started with £10 and a side hustle mindset. Today it operates multiple retail stores, has expansion plans in motion, and is building a franchise model designed around customer service.
In EP11 of Beyond SEO, Glen and Kevin sit down with Wade Smith to unpack the real story behind building one of Nottingham’s most recognised doughnut brands.
This is not a polished “overnight success” narrative. It is an honest breakdown of what scaling hospitality actually looks like: learning by doing, brand naming battles, domain drama, retail economics, why business rates crush stores, and why Wade believes customer service outweighs product.
The £10 moment that changed everything
The journey did not begin with a business plan. It began with curiosity, a willingness to try, and the first meaningful sale.
“I sold him 12 doughnuts for 10 quid and I just thought… this is it.”
Early production happened at home. Ingredients from supermarkets. Packaging improvised. No perfection. Just momentum.
“Didn’t even have boxes. I was just putting them in Tupperware.”
The lesson is simple but uncomfortable. Progress beats preparation.
“You just do it and then it comes up and you just crack on with it.”
Business money is not your money
One of the most valuable moments in the episode is Wade’s reflection on ego and growth. Revenue in the bank does not mean personal wealth.
“You can’t have a Ferrari. You can’t afford a Ferrari.”
Wade Smith, recalling advice from his accountant.
“It is, but it’s not your money.”
For founders, this is a structural lesson. Separate identity from turnover. Protect cash flow. Growth is fragile when ego leads decisions.
Naming battles, cease and desist letters, and domain drama
Branding was not straightforward. The original name triggered legal action.
“Got a cease and desist letter… change your name or pay us 40 grand.”
Then came the domain negotiation.
“I own the domain… you can have it for 10 grand.”
The takeaway is not paranoia. It is awareness. Brand equity attracts friction. Domains, trademarks, and defensibility are not admin. They are assets.
Retail economics and why business rates change everything
Hospitality is brutal when fixed costs climb. Wade explains how physical expansion requires structural thinking, not just confidence.
“Bars and restaurants come and go… we’ve always kind of stayed grips with it.”
One of Doughnotts’ most strategic moves has been the kiosk-on-wheels model.
“You don’t pay rates because it’s on wheels.”
Lower overhead. Greater flexibility. Faster deployment. Scaling becomes a model decision, not just a revenue target.
Online sales are a data engine
Ecommerce is often romanticised. Wade is clear about the operational reality.
“The packaging is so expensive. The shipping… is so expensive.”
Yet online still matters. Not purely for margin, but for signal.
“It’s not just about the sales, it’s about the data.”
Demand patterns inform physical expansion. Geography, frequency, order size. Data reduces guesswork.
Customer service outweighs product
The strongest positioning line from the episode is this:
“Customer service outweighs product every single time.”
Doughnotts is building what Wade describes as a customer service franchise. The product matters. The experience matters more.
“People need more than product now. People want an experience.”
That shift, from transactional thinking to experiential thinking, is what allows brands to survive beyond trend cycles.
Watch the full episode
If you are building a retail brand, exploring franchising, or navigating the realities of UK hospitality, this episode offers practical insight without the filtered version.
View the full Beyond SEO playlist
Connect
- Wade: @wadey_doughnotts
- Doughnotts: https://doughnottsofficial.com/
- Instagram and TikTok: @doughnottsofficial
- Growthack: https://growthack.io/
