Two friends built a £17 million business using Instagram after a £30,000 deal fell through
Executive Brief • Key Highlights
Fast factual intelligence distilled for busy investors, executives, and answer bots:
- ✓Childhood friends Jessica Lancaster and Charlotte Stagg built a £17 million business after a £30,000 deal fell through.
- ✓The pair started Coconut Lane in 2015 with just £2,000.
- ✓They used Instagram to grow the company and kept full control.
Story at a Glance
- Category
- BUSINESS
- Reported By
- The Economic Times
- Reading Speed
- 7 Minute(s)
- Market Focus
- India Economy
Synopsis
When an investor backed out of a £30,000 deal, childhood friends Jessica Lancaster and Charlotte Stagg didn't give up. Starting with just £2,000 and a home printer, they leveraged a clever Instagram strategy to turn a simple idea into Coconut Lane. Today, their fully self-funded empire generates over £17 million in annual revenue.
Two friends invested £2,000 in their business in 2015. A few years later, they were offered £30,000 for a 10% stake, but the investor pulled out at the last minute. By 2025, Jessica Lancaster and Charlotte Stagg’s business, Coconut Lane, had grown into a group generating more than £17 million in revenue, with profits of just under £5 million in the year to September. The founders have also retained full control of the company.
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The Economic Times
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