Top Tips For Starting A Business: How We Started Bloom
In this episode from the Pursuit of Wellness podcast, Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia share their experience of building a successful business from scratch with limited resources. They discuss strategies for testing market interest, leveraging social media and community engagement, and transitioning from digital to physical products while managing growth.
The founders also delve into the benefits and limitations of using Shopify, adapting business strategies during major events like COVID-19, and striking a balance between incorporating customer feedback and maintaining brand authenticity. Throughout their journey, the episode highlights the importance of data-driven decisions, scalability, and diversifying product offerings based on evolving consumer interests.
This is a preview of the Shortform summary of the Jan 23, 2025 episode of the Pursuit of Wellness
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1-Page Summary
Building a Business From Scratch With Limited Resources
Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia started their business by selling a PDF fitness guide through Instagram messages and Shopify. They tested market interest with a small initial order of resistance bands before scaling up. LaVecchia recalls handling all aspects themselves, from packing orders to customer service.
Social Media and Community Power in Business Growth
Llewellyn built a large following by sharing fitness transformation content. She and LaVecchia strategically engaged their community through product decisions and paid ads to expand their reach. While appreciating direct feedback, LaVecchia notes distinguishing the "loud minority" from their core audience.
From Digital to Physical Products: Scaling a Brand
As demand grew, Llewellyn discusses the transition to producing physical resistance bands and outsourcing inventory, fulfillment, and shipping to a third-party logistics center. LaVecchia highlights diversifying into supplements and greens powders based on consumer interests.
Benefits and Limitations Of Using Shopify
LaVecchia praises Shopify's analytics for enabling data-driven decisions and its simplicity for facilitating scalability without web development expertise. However, the founders suggest their expansion outgrew certain Shopify limitations.
Adapting a Business During Major External Events
During COVID-19, Llewellyn and LaVecchia capitalized on heightened wellness interests with their greens product. They rapidly shifted strategies to provide home workout solutions. While stressing community input, LaVecchia emphasizes balancing feedback with maintaining brand authenticity.
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Clarifications
- The transition from digital to physical products involved the shift from selling a PDF fitness guide to producing and selling physical resistance bands. This transition required the founders to outsource inventory, fulfillment, and shipping to a third-party logistics center. Additionally, the founders diversified their product offerings into supplements and greens powders based on consumer interests. This shift allowed the business to cater to a broader range of customer needs and preferences.
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Building a Business From Scratch With Limited Resources
Mari and Greg LaVecchia share their experiences starting and scaling a business with a focus on low overhead and self-reliance.
From Pdf Fitness Guide and Resistance Bands to Scalable Growth With Low Overhead
The entrepreneurial journey of Mari and Greg LaVecchia began humbly, through an approach that favored simplicity and minimalism. They provide valuable insights into how a small initiative can develop into a scalable business.
Build Online Presence & Sell Products Via Shopify
Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia started their business by typing up a simple PDF fitness guide at Barnes & Noble and selling it directly through Instagram messages—a low-tech and low-overhead initiation. After realizing the potential of their product, they chose Shopify for their first website due to its user-friendly nature, allowing them to design everything themselves using templates. Mari mentions that Shopify is a versatile platform that accommodates businesses of all sizes, making it an excellent tool for scaling.
They further leveraged Shopify to link their new app and run all their businesses through this platform, creating a synergistic ecosystem for their product offerings.
Minimal Order to Test Demand Before Major Investment
As their business evolved, they expanded their product line to include on-brand resistance bands. To test the market, they manufactured a small first order of 900 units, a strategic move that ensured they gauged customer interest before making a significant investment. This strategy highlights the importance of starting with a small, manageable inventory to test demand.
Scrappy Diy, Handling all Bu ...
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Building a Business From Scratch With Limited Resources
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Counterarguments
- While starting with a minimalistic approach is commendable, it may limit the ability to scale quickly if the demand for products or services suddenly increases.
- Selling through Instagram messages is not scalable in the long term and could lead to missed opportunities or customer service issues as the business grows.
- Shopify, while user-friendly, may not be the most cost-effective or customizable solution for every business, and some businesses may outgrow its capabilities or find it limiting in terms of specific e-commerce needs.
- Testing the market with a small order is wise, but it could also delay the capitalization on market trends and give competitors time to capture market share.
- Handling all business aspects independently is sustainable in the early stages but can lead to burnout and may not be the most efficient use of time as the business grows; delegation is key to scaling.
- Reinvesting profits is essential for growth, but excessive frugali ...
Actionables
- You can start a side hustle by creating a digital product related to your interests or expertise. For instance, if you're knowledgeable about plant care, you could design a downloadable guide on nurturing indoor plants. This approach requires minimal upfront investment and can be marketed through social media platforms where you already have a presence.
- Consider using a print-on-demand service to test physical products without holding inventory. If you have a design idea for apparel or accessories, platforms like Printful or Teespring allow you to create items that are only printed when a customer makes a purchase, reducing the risk and cost associated with stocking products.
- Optimize your personal budget by adoptin ...
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Social Media and Community Power in Business Growth
Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia chart the course of Llewellyn's business growth, emphasizing the strategic use of social media and community engagement to not just gain followers, but to build a loyal and actively engaged audience.
Built a Loyal Social Media Following By Sharing Relevant Content
Mari Llewellyn's journey into social media notoriety began in November 2017 when she shared a before and after photo of her fitness transformation. This post garnered substantial organic attention and created a demand for products like workout and nutrition guides. Llewellyn successfully built a following by sharing content that both resonated with and involved her community.
Community Involvement in Business Development Feedback
Llewellyn and LaVecchia highlighted that involving their social media community in the business development process was key. The community participated in choices like selecting colors and designing logos, fostering a sense of investment and loyalty. Llewellyn emphasized the importance of including the community so they felt like part of the business journey.
Meanwhile, LaVecchia pointed out the need to distinguish between the vocal minority and the majority in feedback. They understood that while direct engagement is valuable, it isn't always representative of the larger customer base. This insight led them to be mindful in regard to which feedback to implement into product development.
Paid Social Ads Expanded Reach and Following
LaVecchia recognized the potential of Mari's content and proposed using paid marketing to amplify it, thus expanding their audience beyond her organic reach. They utilized social media ads to bring Llewellyn's content to a new audience, focusing on demographics that aligned with their existing community, such as women in the United States who were interested in cooking. The strategy paid off, leading to the quick success of product launches like resistance bands, which sold out within hours.
Llewellyn's strong community tie was evidenced by her following, predominantly women, which played a crucial role when launching her company Bloom. Their efforts weren't just to increase follower numbers, but to establish a comm ...
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Social Media and Community Power in Business Growth
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- While involving the community in business decisions can foster loyalty, it may also slow down decision-making processes and lead to design by committee, which can dilute the brand's vision.
- Paid social ads can expand reach, but they also risk attracting less engaged followers, which could potentially lower overall engagement rates and dilute the sense of community.
- Prioritizing a smaller, more engaged audience over rapid follower growth is a sound strategy, but it may limit the potential market size and revenue opportunities for the business.
- Quality content and authentic engagement are important, but they must be balanced with a clear monetization strategy to ensure the business remains profitable and sustainable.
- Relying heavily on social media platforms for business growth can be risky due to the changing nature of algorithms, platform policies, and the potential for decreased organic reach over time. ...
Actionables
- You can deepen your understanding of your audience by creating a simple survey with open-ended questions to uncover their interests and challenges. Distribute this survey through your social media channels or email list, ensuring that the questions are designed to elicit detailed responses rather than just 'yes' or 'no' answers. For example, ask "What's the biggest challenge you're facing in [your field/topic of interest]?" rather than "Do you find [topic] challenging?"
- Start a monthly content creation challenge where you invite your followers to submit their own content related to your niche, such as stories, photos, or tips. This not only provides you with user-generated content to share but also actively involves your community in the creative process. Highlight the best submissions on your platforms, and consider offering a small reward, like a shoutout or a feature on your profile, to encourage participation.
- Impl ...
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From Digital to Physical Products: Scaling a Brand
Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia share the journey of scaling their business, which evolved from selling digital products to physical items like resistance bands and supplements.
Switched To Resistance Band Product, Learning Supply Chain
Mari Llewellyn shares her experience of creating a fabric resistance band from scratch. She recalls contacting several manufacturers until one agreed to take on her project, which was her first exposure to producing a physical product.
Outsourced 3pl For Inventory, Fulfillment, and Shipping as Business Scaled
As the business grew, the need to manage inventory and fulfillment escalated. Llewellyn notes that hand-packing and shipping orders themselves became unmanageable. They discovered that a third-party logistics center (3PL) could handle inventory, packaging, and shipping, which integrated with their Shopify system for streamlined order management and customer updates.
Diversifying With Supplements and Greens Powders Based On Demand
Greg LaVecchia discusses the step they took towards diversifying the brand’s product lineup. He talks about tapping into the customer demand for supplements and greens powders, which led the brand to expand its offerings beyond resistance bands and into a broader scope of health-related products.
Scaled the ...
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From Digital to Physical Products: Scaling a Brand
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Actionables
- You can test a product idea by creating a simple prototype using readily available materials. For instance, if you're interested in designing a new type of kitchen gadget, start by modifying existing tools with materials like cardboard, tape, or 3D-printed parts to get a feel for the design and function before approaching manufacturers.
- Explore dropshipping as a low-risk way to enter e-commerce. Choose a niche you're passionate about, set up an online store using platforms like Shopify or Etsy, and partner with suppliers who can handle inventory and shipping directly to customers, allowing you to focus on marketing and customer service.
- Use social media polls and surv ...
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Benefits and Limitations Of Using Shopify
Mari Llewellyn and Greg LaVecchia share their experiences with Shopify, highlighting its effectiveness for launching and scaling online businesses, despite some limitations encountered as their business expanded.
Efficient Platform to Launch and Grow an Online Business With Shopify
Shopify Analytics Enabled Data-Driven Founder Decisions
Mari and Greg Llewellyn utilized Shopify analytics to great effect. Greg LaVecchia discusses how he learned to track inventory and what SKUs are through Shopify, demonstrating the platform's ability to facilitate data-driven decisions. The founders monitored user engagement and demographics, such as age range and location, using Shopify’s analytical tools. They relied on live data during product launches to observe site traffic and purchase rates. This enabled them to make informed decisions on inventory management and to identify best-selling products and top-selling regions, all of which helped them understand their customers better and keep their operations simple.
Shopify's Simplicity and Focus Enabled Scalability
Shopify's ease of use was a key factor in the scalability of Mari and Greg's business. It offered the ability to manage both digital and physical products effectively without the need for prior website development experience. The platform's simple backend and integrated functionalities, like immediate purchase notifications and straightforward label printing for shipping, streamlined their operations. This granted them the facility to scale from selling PDF guides to handling numerous SKUs without the necessity for a dedicated website team. The simplicity of Shopify's backend was especially advantageous for the founders, who lacked a strong background in business or numbers.
Business Expansion Exceeded Shopify Limitations
Mari Llewellyn ...
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Benefits and Limitations Of Using Shopify
Additional Materials
Counterarguments
- Shopify's analytics are useful, but they may not be as comprehensive or customizable as dedicated analytics platforms or services.
- While Shopify is user-friendly, some businesses may find it too restrictive and prefer platforms that offer more flexibility and customization.
- Shopify's simplicity can be a double-edged sword; as businesses grow, they might need more sophisticated features that Shopify doesn't provide.
- Managing digital and physical products on Shopify is straightforward, but for complex inventory and supply chain management, third-party integrations or other platforms might be necessary.
- Immediate purchase notifications and label printing are convenient, but larger businesses might require more advanced logistics solutions.
- Shopify's backend is designed for simplicity, but this might limit the ability to implement advanced technical features or customizations that a business might need as it scales.
- While Shopify supports scalability, there might be a ceiling to that scalability, and larger businesses might experience growing pains or need to migrate to enterprise-level solutions.
- The impact of Shopify on Mari and Greg's business growth is positive, but ...
Actionables
- You can leverage a simple e-commerce platform to test a product idea by setting up a minimal viable online store. Choose a platform that requires no coding skills and offers built-in analytics, similar to Shopify, to launch a small batch of products. Monitor the analytics to understand customer behavior and preferences, which will guide you in refining your product and marketing strategy.
- Enhance your product management by integrating inventory tracking tools that sync with your e-commerce platform. This will help you maintain optimal stock levels and avoid overordering or stockouts. Look for tools that offer real-time updates and alerts when inventory is low, so you can reorder in time and keep your business running smoothly.
- Simplify your shipping process by using a service that autom ...
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Adapting a Business During Major External Events
The conversation in the podcast transcript explores how businesses have navigated the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic by focusing on community needs and adjusting their strategies while staying true to their brand identity.
Aligned Content and Product Focus With Community Needs During the Pandemic
During the global health crisis, businesses had to rapidly adapt to changing circumstances and consumer behaviors.
Leveraged Interest in Health, Wellness, and Immunity-Boosting Products
Mari Llewellyn mentioned that her company launched a greens product right before the pandemic, which serendipitously aligned with a growing consumer interest in health and wellness. As people became more concerned about their immune systems, this product quickly became their number one seller.
Agility and Adaptability: Shifting Strategies to Meet Demands
Llewellyn also detailed how her business had to pivot in response to the pandemic. With gyms closing, they swiftly transitioned to offering home workout solutions to satisfy their customers' new needs. Greg LaVecchia echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of focusing on what they could control and listening to community feedback. He noted the role of Shopify in facilitating agility and adaptability, which allowed them to make strategi ...
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Adapting a Business During Major External Events
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Counterarguments
- While agility and adaptability are important, rapid changes in strategy can sometimes lead to hasty decisions that may not be sustainable in the long term.
- Focusing on health and wellness products like greens might have been successful for Mari Llewellyn's company, but this trend may not apply universally across all industries or consumer bases.
- The reliance on digital platforms like Shopify, while beneficial for some, may not be as effective for businesses that have a significant brick-and-mortar presence or those that serve less tech-savvy demographics.
- Balancing customer feedback with brand identity is complex, and there's a risk that too much emphasis on feedback could dilute a brand's unique value proposition.
- The narrative may overlook the financial and operational challenges that smaller businesses face when trying to pivot q ...
Actionables
- You can create a personal feedback loop by asking friends and family for input on your health and wellness habits, then adjusting your routine based on their suggestions. For example, if they notice you're more energetic on days you exercise, consider incorporating more physical activity into your schedule.
- Develop a "control what you can" mindset by identifying areas of your life you have direct influence over, such as your daily routine or spending habits, and make small, deliberate changes to improve them. For instance, if you can't control the weather, focus on creating an enjoyable indoor workout routine.
- Balan ...
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