The Curve before the Stretch

How a pivot in our design business gave us focus.

In early 2016, myself and Sara (my business, life and soul partner) setup Curate Labs. A design duo servicing responsible and sustainably minded businesses. Almost four years on, and after more experimentation than we can tally, we’re changing gears and starting from another position.

The last few years

There have been times when we’ve juggled four separate ventures all reliant on the success of Labs — the client service arm of our business. Each venture started as an experiment and could easily become, or had become a full-time role in themselves.

2019 has been both the best and worst year. Due to political nonsense and a turbulent economy, a global movement of ethical businesses are coming to light that want to create better standards, form social, economic and environmental balance and contribute to a better future.

I for one, am proud to be part of a community that holds this flag high. From a business perspective however, it means we are now part of the ‘ethical business’ noise.

The worst year

What made 2019 the worst year? At the end of 2018, we signed a two year contract for an office space and subsequently moved out of our two bedroom apartment (and home office) to the suburban town of Worthing. For 7 months, business took a backseat. We unwillingly took a hiatus from social activity and lead generation. Luckily we had a bunch of projects on the go with natural, organic leads coming in. Lead generation and content output on the backburner however, led to obvious consequences down the line.

Through feedback, negotiations and reading the room, we realised we were getting really good at coming second place… like really good.

Winning the silver medal

The second half of 2019 saw us being invited to pitch for a record amount of projects, all within the span of a few months. Landing one would have secured the business for the coming year. With every pitch, there was a lesson, each of which we implemented into the next proposal. Ultimately, through feedback, negotiations and reading the room, we realised we were getting really good at coming second place… like really good.

From feedback, our proposals were on point and we were asking the right questions, however we were up against heavy weight, experienced agencies with more resources, power and well rehearsed processes. Our USP of being an ethical, sustainably led business that had served us well over the last few years, was no longer enough in the room.

The best year

We managed to buy a place in the city and moved in July 2019. This was the first step towards a convenience we had left behind 7 months ago. Being back in the city and amongst our professional community, we launched two events as a way of sharing insight and knowledge.

This year’s collection of failed proposals, paired with authentic monthly, community roundtable discussions had resulted in tighter processes and refined pitch strategies. Because of this, we realised that our size puts us in a privileged position where we can afford to be agile.

We believe there is a disparity between what people expect from travel, events and leisure, and subsequently what the travel and hospitality industries currently present.

Getting streamlined and embracing change

Over the next year our company structure will be driven by a service side and a product side, serving both B2B and B2C. We have repurposed our value proposition to be sector specific and refreshed our website. Ethical practices and sustainable values are ingrained in our process and criteria for future clients and partners, but from today we are focusing on travel, hospitality and lifestyle sectors.

Why? We believe there is a disparity between what people expect from travel, events and leisure, and subsequently what the travel and hospitality industries currently present. If sustainable choices were lauded and readily available, we believe many people would opt for them. Additionally, focusing on travel and hospitality means we can naturally move more resources to Driftime® (the product venture) and develop the platform at a faster rate.

Alongside this, we are currently in the process of becoming a B-Corp; highlighting areas of improvement, keeping us accountable and allowing us to practice what we preach more officially.

Summary

Over the coming year we will be bringing everything together under one roof, sector specific client services, creative content and our product Driftime®.

We are seeking travel, hospitality and lifestyle brands that have the courage to step towards positive change. Brands that advocate social, economic and environmental sustainability that don’t come at the cost of people or the planet. We want to help these brands and collectively go on a journey towards a better, more prosperous future.

Find out more at www.curatelabs.co