Learning Launch

Challenge & Selection

Quick background. I own a small clothing company with my partner and the Kenyan business environment,  hasn’t been too kind.

Keeping the lights on aside, growing the business and scaling production have been an obstacle for a young  cash-strapped small enterprise. We had to find a better approach where we could confirm and disconfirm  assumptions to adapt our ideas into feasible products and we had to do it fast and cheap..

Insight & Approach

Second hand clothes in Kenya are a KES.56 billion shilling a year business and this has dealt a big blow to  the textile indstry.  In light of the economic downturn this past few years, our brand customers who are  discerning are always looking to find unique apparel deals; be it mtumba (thrift stores), imports or acquiring  locally tailored clothes which are more affordable and widely-found. We chose the Learning Launch tool to  find a put together a well thought through go-to market strategy that could give us good return on  investment and grow the brand.

We asked ourselves what would be the best way to test out our ideas and be able to mitigate the risk of  losing money on failing products; we then landed on testing as our tool.

Application

That said, we looked to find ways to work around our assumptions and confirmation bias and key among  them has been working tirelessly with the help of tools such as design briefs and design criteria to help us  visualise and pivot.

Looking at the process objectively and as an excerise of prudence, we looked to run a small experiment in  the real marketplace where we coud reduce the risk of any growth initiative by engaging our biggest  stakeholder - the customer.

By testing some of the prototypes from our capsule collection with our clientele through co-creation, we  found it easier to get meaningful feedback and with our design brief as the compass, we could move to  innovate. We handpicked a number of influential personalities who we felt embodied the spirit of the brand  and would also fit the bill in terms of our key audience.

Interestingly enough, it worked and they were quick to point out fundamental flaws in our prototypes and  our marketing strategy. We kept on They proved invaluable and we went as far as letting them test out the  products at social events and parties, and this dipstick test pushed us further as we went back to the  drawing room, brainstormed and developed even better concepts.

We single-handedly created a project management aid that  we utilise to this day and the shared  understanding that came from this potpourri helped us in rolling out one of our best selling collections. This  course has opened my eyes to new possibilities and even bigger opportunities. Now i can explore business  avenues that were once pipe dreams and help my business grow at the same time.


Learning Launch Challenge & Selection Quick background . I own a small clothing company with my partner and the Kenyan business environment , has n’t been too kind . Keeping the lights on aside , growing the business and scaling production have been an obstacle for a young cash - strapped small enterprise . We had to find a better approach where we could confirm and disconfirm assumptions to adapt our ideas into feasible products and we had to do it fast and cheap .. Insight & Approach Second hand clothes in Kenya are a KES.56 billion shilling a year business and this has dealt a big blow to the textile indstry . In light of the economic downturn this past few years , our brand customers who are discerning are always looking to find unique apparel deals ; be it mtumba ( thrift stores ) , imports or acquiring locally tailored clothes which are more affordable and widely - found . We chose the Learning Launch tool to find a put together a well thought through go - to market strategy that could give us good return on investment and grow the brand . We asked ourselves what would be the best way to test out our ideas and be able to mitigate the risk of losing money on failing products ; we then landed on testing as our tool . Application That said , we looked to find ways to work around our assumptions and confirmation bias and key among them has been working tirelessly with the help of tools such as design briefs and design criteria to help us visualise and pivot . Looking at the process objectively and as an excerise of prudence , we looked to run a small experiment in the real marketplace where we coud reduce the risk of any growth initiative by engaging our biggest stakeholder - the customer . By testing some of the prototypes from our capsule collection with our clientele through co - creation , we found it easier to get meaningful feedback and with our design brief as the compass , we could move to innovate . We handpicked a number of influential personalities who we felt embodied the spirit of the brand and would also fit the bill in terms of our key audience . Interestingly enough , it worked and they were quick to point out fundamental flaws in our prototypes and our marketing strategy . We kept on They proved invaluable and we went as far as letting them test out the products at social events and parties , and this dipstick test pushed us further as we went back to the drawing room , brainstormed and developed even better concepts . We single - handedly created a project management aid that we utilise to this day and the shared understanding that came from this potpourri helped us in rolling out one of our best selling collections . This course has opened my eyes to new possibilities and even bigger opportunities . Now i can explore business avenues that were once pipe dreams and help my business grow at the same time .