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Case Study: A Founder Steps Back from Her Start-Up
- David R. Dixon
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Should she hire a new CEO or sell the company?
Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt. Sitting on a bench in the dog park, Elena Pelc glanced at her phone. She’d hoped to escape from work for the morning, but as the founder and CEO of 2 Proud Pups, a maker of all-natural dog care products, she didn’t have much free time. She decided to ignore e-mail for a few more minutes. This was a rare outing with her pets, and she wanted to enjoy it.
- DD David R. Dixon is a Major in the United States Marine Corps, an Iraq War Veteran, and a 2017 Presidential Leadership Scholar. David graduated with honors from Texas A&M University as a Lowry Mays Business Fellow, and he earned his master’s degrees from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He is the author of Call in the Air and the children’s book Goodnight Marines.
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4 Entrepreneur Success Stories to Learn From
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- 20 Jan 2022
Entrepreneurship is a risky but potentially rewarding endeavor. According to the online course Entrepreneurship Essentials , 50 percent of startups last five years, and just 25 percent survive 15.
“For every Amazon.com or Uber, there are scores of companies few can remember,” says Harvard Business School Professor William Sahlman in Entrepreneurship Essentials.
So, what separates successful ventures from those that fail?
“When a company succeeds, it’s because it has discovered and made the right moves along the way,” Sahlman says. “It has found out how to create and capture customer value.”
If you’re exploring entrepreneurship or in the early stages of launching a venture, it’s important to learn from others to avoid common pitfalls and discover which decisions impacted a company’s survival. Here are four stories of successful entrepreneurs to inspire your entrepreneurial journey.
Access your free e-book today.
4 Successful Entrepreneur Stories
1. adi dassler of adidas.
Some of today’s biggest brands started with humble beginnings, and no one embodies this better than Adidas founder Adolf “Adi” Dassler.
Dassler’s shoemaking career began in his mother’s washroom in a small town in Bavaria, Germany. It was there that Dassler began designing and cobbling shoes and decided he wanted to make the best possible sports shoe for athletes.
While there were plenty of shoemakers at the time, Dassler was committed to standing out in the market by gathering feedback from athletes about what they looked for in a shoe, what pain points could be improved on, and how they felt about his early models.
This feedback allowed Dassler to craft an athletic shoe that was highly valued by his customers and gave him legitimacy when he registered “Adi Dassler Adidas Sportschuhfabrik” in 1949 at 49 years old. It was that same year the first shoe with the soon-to-become-signature Adidas three stripes was registered.
Dassler’s vision to create the best shoe for athletes proved itself in 1954 when the German national football team won the World Cup final against the Hungarians—while wearing the new model of Adidas cleats.
“Their unbelievable victory would be heard around the world for decades to come,” Adidas states on its website , “and it made Adidas and its founder a household name on football pitches everywhere.”
Since then, Adidas has grown into an international brand known for high-quality athleticwear. Dassler’s story sheds light on the importance of listening to target customers about their dreams, needs, and pain points.
“Adi Dassler’s secret to success had an additional personal ingredient: He met with athletes, listened carefully to what they said, and constantly observed what can be improved or even invented to support their needs,” reads Adidas’s website . “The best of the best trusted Adidas and its founder from the beginning.”
Related: 5 Steps to Validate Your Business Idea
2. Whitney Wolfe Herd of Bumble
After leaving dating app company Tinder and an abusive relationship in 2014, Whitney Wolfe Herd was inspired to create an empowering dating experience for women.
“For all the advances women had been making in workplaces and corridors of power, the gender dynamics of dating and romance still seemed so outdated,” Wolfe Herd writes on Bumble’s website . “I thought, ‘What if I could flip that on its head? What if women made the first move and sent the first message?’”
Wolfe Herd, along with dating app Badoo co-founder Andrey Andreev and former Tinder employees Chris Gulzcynski and Sarah Mick, designed a dating app that requires women to make the first move in heterosexual matches.
The brand took off—largely on college campuses—and the app reached 100,000 downloads in its first month.
As its user base grows, Wolfe Herd remains a strong advocate for gender equality and sexual harassment prevention, building in-app features that block hate speech and blur inappropriate images. Wolfe Herd and her team also lobbied the state of Texas—where the company is headquartered—to pass a law prohibiting the sending of unsolicited lewd photos, which passed in 2019 .
“I’m more dedicated than ever to helping advance gender equality—and putting an end to the misogyny that still plagues society,” Wolfe Herd writes in a letter to Bumble users . She later adds, “I want nothing more than for your connections to be both meaningful and healthy.”
Wolfe Herd’s story serves as a reminder to use your own life for business inspiration and use a cause you care about to differentiate your product and brand in a saturated market.
Related: How to Identify an Underserved Need in the Market
3. Melanie Perkins of Canva
In 2007, Melanie Perkins was working a part-time job while studying in Perth, Australia, teaching students how to use desktop design software. The software was expensive, complex, and required a semester’s worth of instruction to learn how to use, prompting Perkins to ask, “Is there a way this could be simpler and less expensive?”
Perkins’s goal to create an affordable, simple, online design tool was originally turned down by over 100 investors—it wasn’t until three years into her pitching process that Canva received its first investment.
Perkins credits this investment to a shift in her pitching strategy: She began leading with the relatable problem Canva aims to solve.
“A lot of people can relate to going into something like Photoshop and being completely overwhelmed," Perkins said in an interview for Inc . "It's important to tell the story, because if your audience doesn't understand the problem, they won't understand the solution."
Today, 60 million customers use Canva to create designs across 190 countries.
Perkins’s story reflects the importance of effectively communicating the value of a business idea , as well as the tenacity and resilience required for entrepreneurial success.
Related: How to Effectively Pitch a Business Idea
4. Neil Blumenthal, Dave Gilboa, Andy Hunt, and Jeff Raider of Warby Parker
One example mentioned in Entrepreneurship Essentials is that of innovative online eyewear company Warby Parker. In 2008, Wharton MBA student Blumenthal lost his prescription eyeglasses. He was reluctant to purchase a new pair because they were so expensive. He also didn’t want to visit an eyeglass store.
The idea came to him in the middle of the night, and he emailed three friends—Gilboa, Hunt, and Raider—immediately: Why not start an online company to sell prescription glasses at an affordable price?
They set to work, and Warby Parker was poised to launch just after the four founders graduated with their MBA degrees in the spring of 2010—that is, until GQ reached out to Blumenthal about writing an article to be published on February 15 of that year. The founders sped up their process and launched Warby Parker’s website the same day the article was printed .
The article called Warby Parker “the Netflix of eyewear,” driving interested customers to the new site in droves. The founders’ one mistake was forgetting to add a “sold out” functionality to the website. The waitlist for Warby Parker eyewear grew to 20,000 people, and the company hit its first-year sales target in three weeks.
"It was this moment of panic but also a great opportunity for us to provide awesome customer service and write personalized emails to apologize and explain," Blumenthal says in an interview for Inc . "That really set the tone for how we would run customer service."
A few things set Warby Parker apart from the eyewear market at the time:
- Its online model : A new way of delivering the product helped it break into a stagnant industry
- Its affordable prices : A pair of Warby Parker frames with prescription lenses cost $95—much less expensive than other brands at the time
- Its home try-on program : This enabled customers to try on five pairs of glasses and send back the pairs they didn’t want to purchase.
- Its commitment to giving back : For every pair of glasses purchased, Warby Parker donated a pair to someone in need
Warby Parker donated its millionth pair of glasses in 2019 and continues to be an example of innovation in an existing market.
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Why Learn from Case Studies?
Reading about the trials, tribulations, decisions, and successes of other entrepreneurs is an effective way to gain insight into what your experience could be like. What common threads do you notice in the aforementioned examples? What characteristics do these successful entrepreneurs share ? Use their experiences as blueprints to inform your strategic approach and in-the-moment decision-making.
When building your entrepreneurial skills, seek out courses that incorporate case studies into their teaching method , such as Entrepreneurship Essentials. Not only can you imagine yourself in their situations, but you can take their wisdom with you on your entrepreneurial journey.
Are you interested in honing your entrepreneurial skills and innovation toolkit? Explore our four-week Entrepreneurship Essentials course and other online entrepreneurship and innovation courses to learn to speak the language of the startup world.
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About the Author
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Successful Startups Case Studies: Lessons from High-Profile Companies and Founders
Introduction.
Successful startups are the lifeblood of the modern economy. They are the companies that create jobs, drive innovation, and bring new products and services to the market. But what makes a startup successful? What lessons can be learned from the most successful startups and their founders? This article will explore the case studies of some of the most successful startups and the lessons that can be learned from them. We will examine the strategies, tactics, and mindsets that have enabled these companies to succeed. By reviewing these case studies, we can gain insight into creating a successful startup and how to apply these lessons to our businesses.
Table of Contents
Examining the early days of successful startups: what can we learn from their experiences, how to create a winning business model: insights from successful startups, the role of leadership in building a successful startup: what can we learn from high-profile founders, the power of networking: how connections helped launch successful startups, the impact of technology on startups: what can we learn from high-profile companies.
A combination of hard work, risk-taking, and a bit of luck often characterizes the early days of successful startups. Examining the experiences of these startups can provide valuable insights into the strategies and tactics that can lead to success. This paper will explore the early days of some of the most successful startups, examining the strategies and tactics they employed to achieve success.
One of the essential strategies successful startups employ is the ability to identify and capitalize on opportunities. Many of the most successful startups have placed and capitalized on emerging trends and technologies, allowing them to gain a competitive advantage. For example, Amazon was able to capitalize on the rise of e-commerce and the Internet. At the same time, Uber was able to capitalize on the bank of mobile technology and the sharing economy.
Another important strategy employed by successful startups is the ability to pivot quickly. Many startups have swiftly adapted to changing market conditions and customer needs, allowing them to stay ahead of the competition. For example, Airbnb promptly pivoted from a website for renting out spare rooms to a platform for booking entire homes and apartments.
Finally, successful startups often have a strong focus on customer experience. Many of the most successful startups have been able to create products and services that are tailored to the needs of their customers. For example, Apple has developed intuitive and accessible products, while Netflix has created a streaming service tailored to its customers’ needs.
In conclusion, examining the early days of successful startups can provide valuable insights into the strategies and tactics that can lead to success. Successful startups can often identify and capitalize on opportunities, pivot quickly, and focus on customer experience. By understanding and applying these strategies, entrepreneurs can increase their chances of success.
Creating a successful business model is essential for any startup to succeed. A business model is a plan for how a company will generate revenue and profit. It outlines the products or services the company will offer, how it will market and distribute them, and how it will finance its operations. A well-crafted business model can help a startup attract investors, secure customers, and achieve long-term success.
This article will explore how successful startups have created winning business models. It will discuss the critical elements of a successful business model, the importance of customer feedback, and the role of technology in creating a competitive advantage.
The Key Elements of a Successful Business Model
Creating a successful business model requires clearly understanding the company’s goals and objectives. A successful business model should include a detailed description of the company’s products or services, target market, pricing strategy, and distribution channels. It should also have a plan for how the company finances its operations and generates revenue.
In addition, a successful business model should include a competitive analysis. This analysis should identify the company’s competitors and their strengths and weaknesses. It should also identify potential opportunities for the company to differentiate itself from its competitors.
The Importance of Customer Feedback
Customer feedback is essential for creating a successful business model. Startups should use customer feedback to identify customer needs and preferences and to develop products and services that meet those needs. Customer feedback can also help startups identify potential opportunities for growth and expansion.
The Role of Technology
Technology can be a powerful tool for creating a competitive advantage. Startups should use technology to develop innovative products and services that are difficult for competitors to replicate. Technology can also be used to streamline operations and reduce costs.
Creating a successful business model is essential for any startup to succeed. A well-crafted business model should include a detailed description of the company’s products or services, target market, pricing strategy, and distribution channels. It should also have a competitive analysis and a plan for how the company will finance its operations and generate revenue. Customer feedback is essential for creating a successful business model, and technology can be used to develop innovative products and services and streamline processes. By following these insights, startups can create winning business models that will help them achieve long-term success.
Leadership is a critical factor in the success of any startup. High-profile founders have demonstrated the importance of strong leadership in building a successful startup. By examining the leadership styles of these founders, we can gain valuable insights into how to create a successful startup.
The most successful startups are often led by founders with a clear vision and a solid commitment to their mission. These founders can inspire their teams to work together to achieve their goals. They are also able to make difficult decisions and take risks when necessary. High-profile founders such as Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos have all demonstrated these qualities.
High-profile founders also understand the importance of creating a culture of innovation and collaboration. They recognize that their teams need to be able to work together to solve problems and come up with creative solutions. They also understand the importance of creating an environment where employees feel valued and respected.
Finally, high-profile founders understand the importance of staying focused on the company’s long-term goals. The incisions in the company’s best interest are unpopular in the short term. They also understand the importance of staying flexible and adapting to changing market conditions.
By examining the leadership styles of high-profile founders, we can gain valuable insights into how to create a successful startup. These founders have demonstrated the importance of having a clear vision, creating a culture of innovation and collaboration, and staying focused on the company’s long-term goals. By following their example, entrepreneurs can increase their chances of success.
Networking is a powerful tool for entrepreneurs looking to launch successful startups. By leveraging their connections, entrepreneurs can access resources, advice, and support that can help them get their businesses off the ground. This article will explore how networking has helped launch successful startups and the strategies entrepreneurs can use to maximize the power of their connections.
First, it is essential to understand the value of networking. By connecting with other entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals, entrepreneurs can access valuable resources and advice. This can include access to capital, mentorship, and industry knowledge. Additionally, networking can help entrepreneurs build relationships with potential customers, partners, and suppliers. These relationships can be invaluable in assisting entrepreneurs in launching their businesses.
Second, entrepreneurs should focus on building solid relationships with their network. This means getting to know the people in their network and understanding their needs and interests. It also means being willing to help others in their network when they need it. By building solid relationships, entrepreneurs can create a network of people ready to help them launch their businesses.
Third, entrepreneurs should take advantage of networking events. These events provide an excellent opportunity to meet new people and build relationships. Additionally, they can be a great source of information and advice. By attending networking events, entrepreneurs can learn from the experiences of other entrepreneurs and gain valuable insights into the startup process.
Finally, entrepreneurs should be willing to give back to their network. This can include offering advice, mentorship, or even financial support. By giving back to their network, entrepreneurs can create a strong network of people willing to help them launch their businesses.
In conclusion, networking is a powerful tool for entrepreneurs looking to launch successful startups. By leveraging their connections, entrepreneurs can access resources, advice, and support that can help them get their businesses off the ground. By building solid relationships, attending networking events, and giving back to their network, entrepreneurs can maximize the power of their connections and increase their chances of success.
Startups are increasingly leveraging technology to gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. High-profile companies such as Uber, Airbnb, and Amazon have all used technology to revolutionize their respective industries. By examining the impact of technology on these companies, we can gain valuable insights into how startups can use technology to their advantage.
First, technology can create a more efficient and streamlined customer experience. Uber, for example, has used technology to create a seamless ride-hailing experience. By leveraging mobile technology, Uber has provided customers with an easy-to-use app to quickly and conveniently book a ride. Similarly, Airbnb has used technology to create an efficient platform for booking short-term rentals. By leveraging technology, both companies have created a more efficient customer experience.
Second, technology can be used to create a more personalized customer experience. Amazon, for example, has used technology to create a customized shopping experience for its customers. By leveraging data and analytics, Amazon has created a personalized shopping experience tailored to customers’ needs and preferences. This has allowed Amazon to create a more engaging and enjoyable shopping experience for its customers.
Finally, technology can be used to create a more cost-effective business model. Uber, for example, has used technology to create a more cost-effective business model by eliminating the need for drivers and vehicles. By leveraging technology, Uber has created a more cost-effective business model that has allowed it to become one of the most successful companies in the world.
In conclusion, technology can be a powerful tool for startups seeking a competitive edge. By examining the impact of technology on high-profile companies such as Uber, Airbnb, and Amazon, we can gain valuable insights into how startups can use technology to their advantage. By leveraging technology, startups can create a more efficient and personalized customer experience and a more cost-effective business model.
In conclusion, successful startup case studies provide valuable lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs. By studying high-profile companies’ and founders’ successes and failures, entrepreneurs can gain insight into the strategies and tactics used to achieve success. By understanding the critical elements of successful startups, entrepreneurs can develop their systems and plan to increase their chances of success. Ultimately, successful startup case studies provide valuable lessons for entrepreneurs to learn from and apply to their businesses.
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6 Brilliant Small Business Case Study Examples For Marketers
Explore case study examples for small businesses. Additionally, find strategies for handling common challenges and solutions for growing your business.
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Challenges Faced by Small Businesses
1. increased expenses, 2. more and skilled manpower required, 3. keeping up with the latest trends, solutions to grow a small business, 1. reduce the expenses, 2. improve employee productivity, 3. reward your customers, 4. build your brand, 5. prioritize on partnerships, 6. the right marketing strategy.
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Every business starts small.
The success of a business lies in its strategy to overcome any challenge during its journey.
If you are trying to take your business to new heights, start identifying challenges and create solutions.
The best way is to learn from sundry success stories.
There are several case studies of different businesses that can teach you which strategy to take for selling your product and attracting the target audience.
In this article, we will discuss some of the top case study examples that can assist in upscaling small businesses.
Let’s begin.
As far as businesses go, there are always hurdles that need to be defeated. Starting a business is itself a big achievement for entrepreneurs, but the main challenge is maintaining one.
There are three common challenges businesses need to overcome. These include managing the expenses, hiring people, and following new trends to develop a customer base.
Every business revolves around money. There are different areas where businesses have to spend their money. But the issue is handling the financial hurdles. With an unplanned budget and financial advice, businesses will be spending more than they need to.
Keeping an eye on expenses is important because the expenses determine the profit the business will make.
However, it is not easy to reduce the expense. It’s affected by demand and supply. If businesses need to keep up with the market’s demands, then the chance of increasing expenses is 100%.
Businesses don’t run themselves. They need manpower with skills to handle different departments. Generally, the number of employees in a small business ranges from 1 to 500 people. Getting this manpower is easy but getting a skilled one is difficult and time-consuming.
Whenever looking for manpower, businesses need to decide what skills they want in their candidate. The problem is candidates can’t always fulfill all the requirements. Besides, hiring manpower also increases the expenses.
The market is fluid. It changes and introduces new trends. Small businesses need to keep up with changing trends to keep their business growing. But this is where many businesses start to fall apart.
The thing about new trends is that businesses need to sell their products at the right time. It means they have to keep on studying the market to speculate their next products. If a small business fails to deliver during the peak of the trend, then it will suffer a heavy loss.
The best thing about businesses is that there is an attempt to find a solution for every challenge. It brings out the competition in the market, which is huge for surfacing different kinds of solutions a business can adopt.
When it comes to expenses, businesses are focused on spending huge sums on communication because communication is the key element of increasing customers and revenue. It’s not a big problem for big companies, but it is expensive for small businesses. Thus, finding innovative and cost-effective marketing strategies becomes essential for maximizing outreach and impact without straining financial resources.
Fortunately, the cloud telephony system has removed the dilemma while making business budgets because cloud phone services are cheaper than plain old telephone services.
It reduces the initial cost of new businesses up to 90%. Recent surveys suggest that over 74% of businesses prioritize cloud phone systems as their urgent investment.
The same goes for marketing which is necessary to attract potential customers. Small businesses don’t have enough budget to advertise their products.
The best solution for this is using social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc. to promote and sell their products.
Case Study: Coffman Engineers
Coffman Engineers clearly states that although the cost of using a virtual phone number adhered to cloud phone is 50% more per employee, it still provides overall 25% more savings than plain old telephone service (POTS).
Coffman Engineers have been relying on cloud phones ever since their one office location faced a disaster. Now they have a disaster recovery feature built into their cloud phone system. It helped them to be ready for any disasters without losing communication with employees.
Not just that, they found all the necessary features bundled into one subscription package in a VoIP phone system. Such a facility enabled them to handle all their business communication using only one platform.
Key Takeaways
- Small businesses must invest in cloud telephony for business communication.
- Extensive use of social media to promote and sell your products/service.
As we discussed earlier, manpower is a big challenge for small businesses. Hiring more employees doesn’t mean higher productivity. It’s about smart task allocation through a streamlined workload management strategy . Businesses also need to hire the right candidates to keep their expenses in check and improve productivity.
There are different tools available that can monitor what the employees are doing. Time tracking tools and workforce management tools are key components every business needs.
Especially in remote working scenarios, these tools are crucial to getting the full effort for the employees. Companies have seen a 35%-40% rise in productivity in employees working remotely with the use of tracking tools.
Case study: On The Map Marketing
On The Map Marketing , a digital marketing agency, used time tracking tools that showed that remote working employees tend to work more hours since they can work at flexible hours.
On The Map Marketing first started using the time tracking tool when they were opening their office in Riga, Latvia. The CTO of the company wanted the time spent on different tasks on his computer as well as managing the remote working employees.
Using a time tracking tool, they were able to track their productivity with a detailed report of their daily activities during office hours. It helped them calculate salary bonuses. They also found the productivity level of each employee to determine their value for the company.
- Small businesses should use a time tracking tool to make sure employees focus on their office work.
- Small businesses can track the performance of each employee at office locations or remote working locations.
A business becomes successful when it can keep its customers happy. In efforts to upscale a small business quickly, the marketplace has seen a decline in the quality of products and services. It is a primary reason for customer dissatisfaction.
About 45% of business professionals rate customer experience as their top priority for growing a business.
Survey says more than 85% of buyers are willing to spend more for a better customer experience . Therefore, small businesses need to focus on improving their quality of products and services, which is a powerful indicator of customer experience.
Case study: Starbucks
Starbucks introduced a Reward Loyalty Program in which customers collect stars to get exciting rewards. This program drives 40% of Starbucks’s total sales .
By adapting the gamification method, Starbucks added a reward loyalty program to their already established app. This move drastically increased sales and digital traffic. They brought mobile payment, customer loyalty, and content partnership in one powerful app.
Customers started registering for My Reward via their app. They are given stars(points) in exchange for their interaction in the app or purchase made. The higher the number of stars a customer gets, the better rewards they get.
- Small businesses can give different forms of rewards for more customer engagement.
- Improvement in customer service can drive more sales and attract more customers.
Small businesses should learn to build their brand image on social media. While marketing any product or service, the brand image is a key factor for understanding how people view your business.
A brand image must first include mission, vision, and values. It also requires a brand positioning statement that can set your business apart from the competitors.
It’s important to create a unique brand personality. For this, businesses need to design a good logo because customers are most likely to recognize a business looking at a logo. They will have to identify their target audience to craft a good brand image.
According to a study, around 89% of users stay loyal to a business with a good brand image .
Case study: Apple
Apple logo is a well-recognized design that reflects the brand value. Over the years, the Apple logo has gone through several design changes.
The most important rebranding of the company came when Steve Jobs changed the logo which impacted the overall personality of the company. Now, this logo is the most recognized logo in the world.
Looking at the Apple logo, customers can feel a sense of trust, reliability, and innovation . It is the main reason for the huge sales of all Apple products across the globe.
- Branding helps a business build strong relationships with prospects and attract them to be loyal customers.
- Small businesses need to create a strong brand image to sell their products efficiently.
Partnerships and collaboration can lift the businesses to maximize their cost savings. It allows businesses to strengthen their programs using available resources and tools.
This has a direct effect on improving the efficiency of their operations. It improves the credibility of the business in the marketplace.
Case study: RENAULT & NISSAN
Renault and Nissan have a strong partnership in automobiles. Their partnership made a remarkable achievement of making up 10% of new car sales worldwide .
Renault and Nissan chose to make an alliance rather than a merger because an alliance has many stronger benefits than a merger would give.
With an alliance, they can access more geographical areas where foreign investments are restricted. These companies got better chances to enter each other’s territory where they were already established companies because of the alliance.
Although they faced numerous challenges including fluctuation in price share, they managed to resolve issues and succeed.
- Small businesses can collaborate with other businesses to increase their chances of higher product sales and profit for everyone.
- Partnership with other businesses allows all parties to benefit from each other’s strong areas.
Every business requires to sell its product and services to the market. Without the right social media marketing strategy , a business cannot compete in the marketplace. The first thing about marketing is knowing your target audience and competitors.
When small businesses know who they are competing against, it will help them to see how the competitors are executing their business and attracting their customers.
One such way is to grow your website traffic which can bring you more leads and eventually customers. And how do you increase your website traffic? SEO. If done right, Search Engine Optimization can drive huge traffic to your website to reach your marketing goals.
Case study: Zapier
Zapier used an SEO strategy revolving around long-tail keywords for generating organic traffic to their website. They created 25,000 unique landing pages for unique keywords.
Zapier had a structure and layout for each page including well-optimized human written content. They outsourced SEO content and focused on a playbook for the onboarding process and launched new apps so that they can get partners to write content for them.
On top of that, they also outsourced link building to their partners. These partners wrote valuable guest post content of Zapier on their site and gave a backlink to Zapier. It helped Zapier to get new users as well as drive their website traffic.
- Small Businesses should improve their website traffic by adding more landing pages with relevant content.
- Backlinks through guest posts on other websites can drive more website traffic and attract more prospects.
Now that we have discussed these examples, let’s see how you can create these studies.
Now that you have a fair idea of the business challenges and solutions, there is a good chance of delivering a good strategy for growing your small business.
On top of that, the case study examples above will help you view how other businesses overcome their situation to take their business to new heights.
The most important aspect of upscaling a small business is understanding the customer’s needs. Therefore, you should design a persuasive marketing strategy to attract customers and compete with other businesses in the market.
And a good marketing strategy for any business must include social media. And to make the most of your social media marketing efforts try SocialPilot for free today.
Frequently Asked Questions
🌟 How do you upscale a small business?
Upscaling a small business is a very challenging process. Whether it's making a budget or hiring employees, you have to focus on things that are best for your business. Planning, targeting prospects, marketing strategy, etc. are crucial steps for upscaling businesses and competing with big companies.
🌟 What is a small scale business?
Small scale businesses or Small scale industries (SSI) provide products and services on a small level. Normally in the US, a small business consists of less than 250 employees. Also, it has small capital investments and less office space.
🌟 Why do entrepreneurs find it difficult to scale up?
New entrepreneurs find difficulty in scaling up their businesses because they don’t know what to do. Even if they know, they have to face many challenges like market research, finding loans, allocating space, etc. Also, legal matters are always a major concern for making changes.
🌟 Why is scalability important in business?
Scalability is important because it directly impacts business competition, profitability, brand image, and product quality. Since small businesses have huge growth potential and high return on investment (ROI), they have to properly focus on scalability.
🌟 When should you scale a business?
A small business should look for upscaling its business if it has achieved a minimum annual growth of 20% over 2-3 years with only 10 or more active employees.
About the Author
Anwesha Ghatak
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