Adapting to COVID-19 - How hiring a Growth Hacker saved our business
KarTent joined the Growth Hacking traineeship in October 2019. We spoke with Timo Krenn, Co-founder of KarTent to see how having a Growth Hacker on the team has impacted their business. Read their interview below.
KarTent specialises in upcycling cardboard into new products. They are focussed on creating a sustainable solution for the festival & event industry through a 100% cardboard and sustainable sleeping tent. Did you ever attend a multiple-day festival? Have you seen the aftermath on the campsite? Every year thousands of plastic tents are left behind — but not anymore with KarTent!
KarTent joined the Growth Hacking traineeship with the aim to explore and develop their online sales & develop online opportunities. Then COVID-19 arrived in Europe, closed down much of the economy and created a new reality for businesses to adapt to. With KarTent’s main audience being festivals & events; one of the industries hit hardest due to the COVID-19 regulations they had to make a pivot in their business model if they wanted to survive the summer.
No festivals or events until at least September 1st 2020. So, what happens next? How does the company survive?
With the help & skills from their Growth Hacking trainee, KarTent pivoted their entire business model. They went from offline or sales via external parties in the event industry to a cardboard consumer good selling company. Together with IWB they created a completely new online e‑commerce platform from scratch.
To put this into perspective; last year 99% of KarTent’s revenue came from the festivals & events industry. This year that amount became almost zero. The newly created platform has saved the business and is now on its way to being able to support their entire business despite the huge setback from the COVID-19 regulations.
I believe that through growth hacking, companies are able to get a better understanding of their clients & more of an insight into their behaviour. In addition to this, with the right online focussed team, I think that most companies are able to change their direction and strategy a lot faster!
The Growth Hacking traineeship has literally saved our entire business.
— Timo Krenn
Nobody could have ever predicted the current corona “society”.
But one thing I do know is that if we hadn’t taken the decision to partner with The Talent Institute & hired a Growth Hacker it would have been impossible for our business to survive this summer!
Guest blog by Timo Krenn, CFO & Co-founder at KarTent, participant of the Growth Hacking traineeship.
