Entrepreneurial case study - operating a Finnish subscription box company : Moro Poro business portfolio
Drakes, Jeremy (2021)
Drakes, Jeremy
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021081317003
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021081317003
Tiivistelmä
The case study provided in this portfolio thesis details practical research work undertaken and consequently implemented to startup and run a confectionary subscription box micro-business named Moro Poro. The primary demographic targeted in Moro Poro’s digital and email marketing campaigns were Finnish-Americans. The details of these marketing efforts are the focus of this portfolio thesis, as well as implementing digital technology to connect with potential Finnish-American customers. The micro-business was operated solely by the author for a period of nine months—from 01/05/2019 to 31/01/2020. The micro-Business operations included liaising with various logistics, warehousing/order-fulfillment, confectionary, and packaging supply companies. Business operations took place mostly within the digital sphere—with the physical aspects mainly relating to acquiring products, packaging them, and shipping them.
The author felt enabled to undertake the Moro Poro venture in the digital sphere on account of having studied HTML, HTML5, CSS, Javascript, PHP, and WordPress for the past twelve years. These competencies were combined with theoretical business knowledge gained from the international business degree program in which the author was enrolled. The key elements of business practice put into use for the micro-business venture, as detailed in this portfolio thesis, were; digital marketing, email marketing, web design (business-oriented), logistics, inventory management, customer service, B2B negotiations, B2C sales, entrepreneurial practices, and international business relations/cooperation. As an international business degree student, the author gained valuable insights into the practicalities of running a micro-business. The author learned the value of developing good relations with partners and customers—which was crucial to business success, as well as the practicalities of marketing and sales.
Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, operations ceased before long-term business viability could be ascertained. Business closure mainly resulted from difficulties with logistical and supply chain operations, i.e., liaising with the packaging supply companies in China that provided packaging materials at low costs, and also difficulties liaising with fulfillment centers in the USA that were only able to deliver essential items during the early phases of the pandemic. To protect key trade secrets—confidential aspects of the dynamics of the micro-business venture such as certain business partner names, special business partner offers, business partner contacts, and analytical data have been omitted from the portfolio. The reason for these omissions is the author’s plan to restart operations in the near future. Nevertheless, the details presented provide a glimpse of the key research work undertaken, operational fundamentals of the venture, and an overview of the challenges and lessons the author experienced as an entrepreneur.
The author felt enabled to undertake the Moro Poro venture in the digital sphere on account of having studied HTML, HTML5, CSS, Javascript, PHP, and WordPress for the past twelve years. These competencies were combined with theoretical business knowledge gained from the international business degree program in which the author was enrolled. The key elements of business practice put into use for the micro-business venture, as detailed in this portfolio thesis, were; digital marketing, email marketing, web design (business-oriented), logistics, inventory management, customer service, B2B negotiations, B2C sales, entrepreneurial practices, and international business relations/cooperation. As an international business degree student, the author gained valuable insights into the practicalities of running a micro-business. The author learned the value of developing good relations with partners and customers—which was crucial to business success, as well as the practicalities of marketing and sales.
Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, operations ceased before long-term business viability could be ascertained. Business closure mainly resulted from difficulties with logistical and supply chain operations, i.e., liaising with the packaging supply companies in China that provided packaging materials at low costs, and also difficulties liaising with fulfillment centers in the USA that were only able to deliver essential items during the early phases of the pandemic. To protect key trade secrets—confidential aspects of the dynamics of the micro-business venture such as certain business partner names, special business partner offers, business partner contacts, and analytical data have been omitted from the portfolio. The reason for these omissions is the author’s plan to restart operations in the near future. Nevertheless, the details presented provide a glimpse of the key research work undertaken, operational fundamentals of the venture, and an overview of the challenges and lessons the author experienced as an entrepreneur.