Ginsouls - brands as scented candles

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Ginsouls has developed into a successful B2B startup in a very short time. How did the company manage to develop so successfully in such a short period of time?

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Handmade candles from empty gin bottles: Philippe Petry from Freiburg has been making his own candles with soy wax and a scent reminiscent of gin since the beginning of the year and sells them under the name Ginsouls Kerzenmanufaktur. After a Shopify Meetup in Freiburg, the founder of Ginsouls, Philipe Petry approached us to talk about growth options for his B2C online store. By conducting our store audit and after the initial conversations, it was apparent that Philippe's innovative concept promised much more than just a small candle online store for end consumers.

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Solution

In a joint workshop with the Ginsouls team, we began to analyze and explore both the existing and alternative business models. Our goal was to find out which customer and target groups could best benefit from the innovative concept of Ginsouls. The result of our work was the realization that Ginsouls could be much more than a small online store. The following case study shows how Ginsouls managed to grow from a small online store to a successful B2B startup in a very short time.

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Step 1: Create a One Page Business Plan for different types of customers

In the first step, we compared the business models of different customer segments. with the help of an agile one-page business plan, we then worked out the most important questions in order to make an informed decision about which target groups should be targeted first. This is a tool that helps us visualize and analyze our business model. With the help of the One Page Canvas, we can test and compare different variants of our business model. This way we can ensure that limited resources are used effectively and the business model is constantly improved Its strength lies in its simplicity. It is easy to create and easy to update. The latter is the key to focusing on the right priorities. The challenge today is no longer "Can we build it?" but rather "Should we build it?".

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Step 2: Customer Factory + Traction Roadmap

With the help of the Customer Factory, we can check whether our goals and assumptions are realistic and feasible. To do this, we test the viability of the business model and create a "customer factory" based on a few key metrics instead of spending countless hours entering numbers into a spreadsheet.

We also worked with the Ginsouls team to develop the so-called Traction Roadmap. This is a tool that helps us to take the right steps in the right order to validate the business model and bring it to market. Together, we identified the most important steps to establish Ginsouls on the market and then planned the corresponding measures.

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Step 3: Story Pitch and Customer Forces

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After we had identified the right target groups and planned the first steps for implementation, we focused on storytelling. With the help of a "pitch deck", Philippe can now convey his story and coherently explain the innovative concept to potential customers.

Another important tool in this process was the Customer Forces Canvas. This is a tool that helps us to identify the right triggers that work for our customers. Based on these triggers, we can then adapt our communication and sales to achieve the desired results.

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Step 4: Goal definition and lean sprints

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The next step was to clearly define which goals are to be achieved with the business model. In doing so, it is important to consider both the financial and the non-financial goals. Based on this definition, the corresponding measures can then be planned and implemented.

Another important tool in this process is the Lean Sprints. This is an iterative approach in which we develop experiment-oriented solutions for selected problems in short cycles. This enables us to ensure that we find the right solutions quickly and effectively while minimizing risk.

Conclusion

Through the collaboration with Ginsouls, a very large potential could be identified and exploited in a relatively short time. The case study shows how a small online store can be turned into a successful B2B startup in a very short time. Ginsouls managed to identify the right target groups and set the right steps in the right order. By working closely with the team, they were able to develop an effective arsenal of tools that will help Ginsouls to develop further and establish itself in the market.

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