Bringing sustainability to tables: Stroodles edible tableware 🚀

Hey hey hey, great people of the D2C community! This is your host Berkay writing.

Thanks again for subscribing to our weekly newsletters and being a part of the D2CVille Community! As we were saying, there are a lot of D2C newsletters out there, but if you’re reading this:

Trust us, you’re in the right place!

Sooooo, where were we?

🍝 Maxim Gelmann, Founder of Stroodles

As many of you know at this point, we do podcasts with successful D2C entrepreneurs building fantastic brands all across the world -really hard to believe we almost did 20 episodes 💃🏻🕺.

Time to catch up on the latest scoop for the week. We've got our spotlight shining bright on the awesome Maxim Gelmann. 🌟 He's the brain behind the super cool and energetic brand, Stroodles. They're all about adding some delicious flair to your tableware, including those famous pasta straws. Yes, you heard that right - straws you can munch on!

Let's talk about Maxim. This guy's a blast to chat with. The moment you start talking to him, you'll be hit with the "We're all about fun and awesomeness" vibes. 🎉 Seriously, you should listen to him talking about his business with all the enthusiasm!

But hey, don't let that fool you. Maxim's got some serious business chops too, thanks to his background in consultancy back in Germany. So, he's like the perfect combo of fun and business savvy. 👔🧳

📺 Oh, and here's a wild tidbit: Maxim's got nerves of steel! He faced the heat from the Dragons over on Dragons' Den. If you're up for some nervous moments, just search for "Pasta La Vista, Plastic Straws | Dragons' Den" on YouTube. It's a must-see!

^{You can also listen to the episode on Spotify, Google, or Apple Podcast!}

And here are some highlights from our chat!

🌱 Redefining Sustainability Communication: Stroodles aims to make sustainability more approachable and enjoyable by offering tangible solutions like pasta straws and edible spoons. Their products showcase a new perspective on sustainability, moving away from the doom and gloom approach.

📺 Maxim says it was his very conscious decision to present his brand on Dragon’s Den to get some publicity - and hopefully some investment. Although he eventually ended up getting rejected by all four of the Dragons, it was a fun and valuable experience for Maxim. But he says they purposefully made him look nervous for making the show more exciting. Still, he suggests it to everyone who has the guts!

📦 Maxim’s biggest mistake was not switching to an external warehouse earlier.

He used his own flat as a warehouse in the beginning and then moved to a small warehouse near where he lives. But he says it was a big mistake for him.

“Because I thought external warehouses are so expensive, and all those other stereotypical prejudices, I didn’t switch to an external warehouse.”

“I should have switched earlier. In fact, in a broader perspective, I should’ve externalized all the supporting activities that are stealing my time.”

🏋️ Obviously, Maxim said, you should do a few things yourself just to get your hands around them, but then they become a burden for you and steal your time from focusing on more important tasks.

Totally on board with that! Being an entrepreneur is tough, and time is like their precious resource. Every day's a battle picking what's worth their time. It's so tempting to get caught up in minor tasks that don't really move the needle. I get it might sound debatable, but team up with experts and play to your strengths.

But hey, it's all about finding that balance, isn't it? You also have to remember to be easy on your P&L, not overburdening your finances. Just nail down that sweet spot and rock your own game!

🚚 Maxim says he’s not working with his original 3PL anymore. In fact, he says he doesn’t know anyone who does that!

Are you working with your original 3PL?

😎 Stroodles is kind of big on social media, especially Instagram. They've got this awesome crowd that's all in on their content. If you dig a bit deeper, it's a win-win for Stroodles because it's not just about the product, it's a whole vibe, a lifestyle. And guess what? Social media is like the ultimate hotspot for that groove.

Check out their engaging content!

🤜🤝 Oh, and here's the final scoop on Stroodles: they're total pros at teaming up with others! And it's not just about giving each other a shoutout. I'm talking about those super cool partnerships where folks genuinely join forces on a whole new level.

See the third post above. They linked arms with Kimpton Fitzroy London and went all out promoting each other.

📣 PROMOTIONS - FABRIKATÖR INVENTORY ASSISTANT

We want to introduce you to some fantastic tools that bring incredible value to D2C brands. At the top of the list is Fabrikatör - again. Not only is it an excellent tool for predicting inventory needs, but Fabrikatör is also the sponsor that supports our work. 🙌🏻

🎺 Now, introducing Fabrikatör: Your Ultimate Inventory Sidekick!

In the fast-paced world of eCommerce, every second counts. That's where Fabrikatör comes in – it's not just another app, but your strategic partner for streamlined operations. Say goodbye to inventory headaches and manual tasks, and welcome the power of automation.

Fabrikatör is your AI-powered companion; it's your virtual employee, handling operational tasks with precision while you focus on innovation and strategy. With its backorder capabilities, you can recover lost sales and turn out-of-stock situations into opportunities for growth. By bridging the gap between the supply chain, CRM, and your Shopify storefront, Fabrikatör ensures your customers are always satisfied.

🚀 Maximize Profits: Forecast demand effortlessly, turning stockouts into revenue.

🛍️ Pre-Order Power: Automate pre-orders, boosting sales.

🔄 Streamlined Operations: Effortlessly coordinate tasks and optimize inventory.

💌 Integration Excellence: Sync your supply chain with your Shopify storefront and Klaviyo.

Check out Fabrikatör at the Shopify app store! They offer 14 days free trial and personal onboarding. Check out Fabrikatör on the Shopify app store!

🆇 TWEETS OF THE WEEK (Sorry they’re posts now!)

1. Anyone running brick-and-mortar stores out there?

2. This one made me laugh so hard 😂

3. Cold truth 💣

4. Dad Gang keeps rocking it!

🚨 A big shoutout

Oli Schneider - Concept and Content Manager at apfelband

Remember apfelband? Yep, the awesome Apple Watch Wristband brand based in Germany? Well, guess what? Our pal Oli from apfelband kicked off a podcast a couple months back called #apfelbox - der Podcast von apfelband (#apfelbox - the podcast of apfelband).

Oli's basically inviting all sorts of folks from the direct-to-consumer (D2C) scene onto his show, but don't be fooled - it's not just a D2C party. In the latest episode, he had a chill chat with Bahadir Efeoglu, founder of Fabrikatör, and they talked about literally everything from D2C to the education system in Turkey!

And honestly, we've gotta hand it to Oli – his podcast game is seriously on fire right now! 🎙️

So, let's give Oli and the apfelband crew a major shoutout for making this podcast magic happen. You guys are totally rockin' it – keep those good vibes rollin'!

Listen to apfelbox here.

P.S.: By the way, just a heads up – most of the episodes are in German. But hey, if you're up for a bit of a treasure hunt, see if you can track down the ones in English! 🎧🔎

👥 SOCIAL MEDIA

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📚 FREE RESOURCES

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🏷️ DISCOUNTS ON LEADING APPS

If you’re a subscriber to this newsletter, well, we have more to offer. Just contact us over email to ask for a list of discounted tools, ranging from CX to inventory optimization.