Retail Mentoring Programme
The Retail Mentoring Programme is a free CPD-accredited course that educates retailers on the WHO, HOW and WHY of brand licensing:
- WHO - Relationships are key in the brand licensing industry. This course will help you to establish relevant contacts with leading brand owners, agents, manufacturers and fellow retailers.
- HOW - Learn about everything from definitions within a licensing agreement to tips on scrutinising consumer trend data. This course covers the full licensing cycle will build your knowledge, your confidence and your professional network.
- WHY - Licensed ranges consistently outperform general retail sales. Securing the rights to brands which your customers are already loyal fans of will lead to enhanced engagement, increased spend and - most importantly - happy customers.
Course Outline
Between March and September 2026, the Retail Mentoring Programme will include:
- A personal introduction tailored to your knowledge level, job function and category
- Tickets to 2x licensing conferences
- A day spent with a leading licensor (brand owner) or agent
- Multiple networking opportunities
- VIP access to Brand Licensing Europe
Who should apply?
New to Licensing & Junior Retailers
Learn the fundamentals of licensing, from key terminology to understanding how a licensing agreement works.
Category Managers & Heads of Buying
Take advantage of this programme to upskill yourself or develop your team members licensing knowledge. This is the perfect opportunity to make contact with big brands in a smaller forum.
“After 10 years working within licensing there is always something new to learn. Business is a two-way street, and all agreements require both sides to understand what is at stake to come to a happy agreement. Finding creative freedom in a world of rules, needs a course like the Retail Mentoring Programme to allow creative minds and business sense to come together in a fun and relaxed environment."
Brand Director, TruffleShuffle
“I was approached by my line manager informing me of the BLE Mentoring Programme, asking if this is something I was interested in joining - Of course my answer was YES! Although I have wealth of experience as a Junior Buyer, my experience within the Brands portfolio was very limited. I felt joining the programme would give me the facts to be confident within my role, the skills to succeed and the knowledge to be respected within the industry. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting other delegates from large retailers and learning their practices. Licensing certainly is a minefield to beginners however what better way to start than with BLE?!”
Junior Buyer, DFS Commercial
"The Programme provided me with a well-rounded introduction to licensing from different angles. I have found it extremely beneficial to my buying role as it gave me a good understanding of both sides of licensing for retail, giving me the confidence and knowledge to have influential and meaningful conversations with my own suppliers."
Partner & Buying Assistant, John Lewis
Want to find out more?
Get in touch with our Head of Retail, Laura Freedman-Dagg for any questions you have relating to the event or Retail Mentoring Programme.
