Scaleit (B2B SaaS & E-commerce)

Scaleit Mockup

Scaleit is an all-in-one web app that empowers African sellers with seamless brand promotion and scaling.

THE PROBLEM

Limited visibility and resources hinder the growth of young entrepreneurs in Africa.

THE AUDIENCE

18-35 year old entrepreneurs in Africa seeking to promote and scale their brands.

THE IDEA

Scaleit is a SaaS social commerce platform connecting sellers to their customers, providing brand visibility and access to tools for business growth.

My Role & Process

I was the product manager using the design thinking process. I worked in a lean startup team and collaborated with 2 UI/UX designers, one data analyst and a software engineer to create wireframes, mockups and the MVP.

design thinking

EMPATHIZE

To understand the needs and challenges faced by young entrepreneurs in Africa, I conducted extensive user research, including in-depth interviews and surveys. I also lead the team to conduct a competitive analysis of the market to understand current players and opportunity areas.

User Interviews

We discovered that many entrepreneurs struggled with limited resources, low visibility, and the absence of affordable tools to promote and scale their businesses effectively.

Two key responses that significantly shaped the user personas are shown.

User Responses

Competitive Analysis

I also conducted a competitive analysis in order to understand the market and competitive landscape.

Scaleit CA

DEFINE

Based on the insights gathered during the empathize phase, I defined the problem, market opportunity and key user personas. To ensure alignment and buy-in from my team and other stakeholders, I also defined the product goal and communicated it to allow for feedback. At this stage and informed by research, I began developing the product strategy to create alignment for the team and stakeholders. 

Product goal

To provide a digital platform where young entrepreneurs can list their brands, engage with potential customers, access relevant scaling tools, and effectively promote their businesses at a low cost.

Goal: To provide a digital platform where young entrepreneurs can list their brands, engage with potential customers, access relevant scaling tools, and effectively promote their businesses at a low cost.

Target Audience: Young entrepreneurs in Africa who are seeking visibility, profitability, and access to affordable scaling tools.

Problem statement

Many young entrepreneurs in Africa struggle with limited resources, low visibility, and the absence of affordable tools to effectively promote and scale their businesses, hindering their contribution to economic development and the creation of employment opportunities.

Problem statement

Many young entrepreneurs in Africa struggle with limited resources, low visibility, and the absence of affordable tools to effectively promote and scale their businesses, hindering their contribution to economic development and the creation of employment opportunities.

Market Opportunity

The social commerce market in Nigeria is projected to reach $4.5B in GMV by 2028, while the global social commerce market represents about $724B global market in terms of revenue.

Research findings also revealed a significant market opportunity in Africa for accessible and affordable social commerce solutions tailored specifically for young entrepreneurs.

User Persona - Seller

Sarah

Sarah, the Fashion Entrepreneur

Age: 27
Occupation: Fashion Entrepreneur
Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Sarah is a young and passionate fashion entrepreneur who started her clothing brand two years ago. She specializes in designing and creating trendy and affordable clothing for young adults. Sarah has faced challenges in promoting her brand and reaching a wider customer base due to limited resources and a lack of affordable marketing tools.

Goals and Motivations:

  1. Increase brand visibility: Sarah wants to enhance her brand’s online presence and gain exposure to a larger audience.
  2. Scale her business: Sarah aims to grow her business and expand her customer base, both within Nigeria and internationally.
  3. Streamline operations: Sarah is seeking efficient tools to manage her orders, inventory, and customer interactions more effectively.
  4. Access affordable solutions: Sarah is looking for cost-effective solutions that cater to the needs and constraints of small-scale entrepreneurs like herself.

Challenges:

  1. Limited marketing budget: Sarah faces financial constraints, making it difficult to invest heavily in marketing and promotional activities.
  2. Limited technical knowledge: Sarah lacks technical expertise and requires a user-friendly platform that doesn’t require extensive technical skills.
  3. Competitive market: Sarah operates in a highly competitive fashion industry, and she needs tools that can help her stand out and differentiate her brand.

User Persona - Buyer

David, the Tech-Savvy Shopper

Age: 24
Occupation: Student
Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Background: David is a tech-savvy student who enjoys online shopping and exploring new products. He is always on the lookout for unique and innovative products that align with his interests and lifestyle. David values personalized customer experiences and seeks convenience when shopping online.

Goals and Motivations:

  1. Discover unique products: David wants to explore a wide range of products from diverse categories and discover new and exciting items.
  2. Connect with sellers: David seeks to engage with sellers to get more information about products and make informed purchase decisions.
  3. Convenient shopping experience: David prefers a user-friendly platform that offers smooth navigation, easy search options, and secure payment methods.
  4. Timely customer support: David values prompt customer support and assistance whenever he has questions or concerns regarding his purchases.

Challenges:

  1. Overwhelming options: David finds it challenging to navigate through numerous online stores and product listings to find what he wants.
  2. Lack of personal touch: David sometimes feels disconnected from the shopping experience and desires more personalized interactions with sellers.
  3. Trust and reliability: David wants assurance that the products listed on the platform are of high quality and that he can trust the sellers’ credibility.

IDEATE

During the ideation phase, I collaborated with the team to generate innovative ideas and features that would address the identified needs of young entrepreneurs. We focused on creating a user-centric experience and came up with features based on user stories. I prioritized the user stories for MVP using the MosCow framework, came up with a testable hypothesis and communicated my decision to the team and other stakeholders. 

Features and Prioritization

User Story Priority
As a seller, I want to easily list and showcase my products in my virtual store, so that I can effectively present my offerings to potential customers and increase visibility for my brand.
Must-Have
As a seller I want to track and analyze shopping behavior, so that I can gain insights into customer preferences, make data-driven decisions, and optimize my marketing strategies.
Must-Have
As a buyer, I want to easily discover a wide range of products and categories, so that I can explore and find unique items that match my preferences and interests.
Must-Have
As a seller, I want to efficiently manage my orders and inventory, so that I can streamline my operations, fulfill customer orders promptly, and maintain optimal stock levels.
Should-Have
As a seller, I want to be able to chat and interact with potential buyers, so that I can build trust, answer inquiries, provide personalized assistance, and ultimately convert leads into loyal customers.
Should-Have
As a buyer, I want to identify the top sellers on the platform, so that I can trust their credibility, choose from the best available options, and make informed purchase decisions.
Should-Have

Hypothesis

By providing Scaleit, a digital platform that enables young entrepreneurs in Africa to promote their brands, engage with customers, and access scaling tools, we can increase the number of active entrepreneurs, fostering economic development and the creation of employment opportunities.

I prioritized the following features:

  • Easy product listing: A user-friendly interface for entrepreneurs to showcase their products in their virtual store.
  • Analytics dashboard: A comprehensive tool to track shopping behavior and gain insights into customer preferences and trends.
  • Order and inventory management: Efficient management of orders and inventory to streamline operations and enhance customer satisfaction.
  • Customer interaction: A chat system enabling sellers to engage with potential buyers and build strong customer relationships.

Goal: To develop a lean and scalable digital platform that empowers young entrepreneurs in Africa to promote and scale their businesses effectively, contributing to economic development and creating employment opportunities.

Target Audience: Young entrepreneurs in Africa seeking affordable solutions to enhance brand visibility, engage with customers, and access scaling tools.

Value Proposition:

  1. Simplified Brand Listing: Provide a streamlined process for entrepreneurs to easily list and showcase their brands and products on the platform.
  2. Engaging Customer Interaction: Enable entrepreneurs to interact with potential customers through chat and messaging features, fostering relationships and addressing inquiries.
  3. Accessible Scaling Tools: Offer a range of affordable scaling tools, including analytics, inventory management, and order tracking, to support entrepreneurs in growing their businesses.
  4. Cost-Effective Promotion: Provide cost-effective marketing options within the platform, helping entrepreneurs reach a wider audience and increase brand visibility without high marketing expenses.

Key Features:

  1. User-Friendly Onboarding: Develop an intuitive and guided onboarding process for entrepreneurs to quickly and effortlessly set up their brand profiles.
  2. Efficient Brand Listing: Create a simplified interface for entrepreneurs to easily list and manage their brands and products, allowing them to showcase their unique offerings effectively.
  3. Interactive Communication: Implement real-time chat and messaging capabilities to facilitate direct and engaging interactions between entrepreneurs and potential customers.
  4. Actionable Analytics: Develop a comprehensive analytics dashboard to provide entrepreneurs with valuable insights into shopping behavior, enabling data-driven decision-making.
  5. Scalable Infrastructure: Build a scalable and robust platform infrastructure to accommodate the growing user base and support future feature expansions.

Success Metrics:

  1. User Adoption: Measure the number of registered entrepreneurs and active users on the platform.
  2. Engagement: Track metrics such as daily active users, time spent on the platform, and frequency of customer interactions.
  3. Conversion Rate: Evaluate the percentage of users who successfully scale their businesses and achieve profitability through the platform.
  4. Feedback and Satisfaction: Regularly collect user feedback through surveys and ratings to assess overall satisfaction and identify areas for improvement.

Month 1

User Research and Needs Analysis:

  • Conduct in-depth user research to understand the needs, pain points, and aspirations of young entrepreneurs in Africa.
  • Gather qualitative and quantitative data through interviews, surveys, and market analysis.
  • Identify key user personas and create user journey maps to visualize the user experience.

Define Product Objectives and Key Features:

  • Based on user research insights, define the core objectives and value proposition of the Scaleit product.
  • Identify the key features and functionalities that will address the identified user needs and provide value to entrepreneurs.
  • Prioritize the features based on user impact, technical feasibility, and business viability.

Concept Development and Prototyping:

  • Generate multiple conceptual ideas and design prototypes to explore different approaches and potential solutions.
  • Collaborate with designers, developers, and stakeholders to refine and iterate on the prototypes.
  • Conduct internal feedback sessions and gather insights from team members to improve the initial concepts.

Month 2

User Testing and Validation:

  • Conduct usability tests with a small group of target users to gather feedback on the prototype.
  • Observe users interacting with the product and gather insights into usability issues, pain points, and areas of improvement.
  • Iterate on the design and functionality based on user feedback, ensuring alignment with user needs and preferences.

MVP Development:

  • Develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that incorporates the core features and functionalities identified during the concept development stage.
  • Focus on building a functional and user-friendly version of the product that can be tested and validated with a broader user base.
  • Prioritize the development efforts based on the defined objectives and the most critical user needs.

Continuous Iteration and Feedback Loop:

  • Establish a feedback loop with users and stakeholders to gather ongoing feedback and insights on the MVP.
  • Regularly incorporate user feedback into the development process to refine and enhance the product.
  • Continuously iterate on the design, user experience, and functionality to align with user expectations and improve the product.

Month 3

Beta Testing and User Engagement:

  • Launch a beta version of Scaleit to a selected group of users, allowing them to access and test the product.
  • Collect feedback from beta users and engage in conversations to understand their experience and gather insights for further improvements.
  • Leverage the beta testing phase to identify and fix any remaining bugs or usability issues.

Performance Optimization:

  • Analyze the product’s performance metrics, such as loading speed and responsiveness.
  • Optimize the product’s performance and scalability to ensure a smooth user experience, even with increased usage and data volume.

Documentation and Release Preparation:

  • Prepare comprehensive documentation, user guides, and support materials to assist users in effectively utilizing Scaleit.
  • Finalize the product release plan and coordinate with the marketing and sales teams for a successful launch.

PROTOTYPE

Collaborating with the UI/UX designer and engineer, we developed a high-fidelity interactive prototype that incorporated the prioritized features. 

Buyer UI

Buyers UI

A marketplace that displays up-to-date products from Sellers on Scaleit.

Landing page

Sellers Landing Page (Header section)

Entrepreneurs can become a seller on Scaleit by clicking on the ‘Become a seller button’ in the marketplace and explore business growth tools.

Sellers Landing Page (Header section)

Entrepreneurs can become sellers on Scaleit by clicking on the ‘Become a seller button’ in the marketplace and explore business growth tools.

Landing page
Seller Dashboard

Sellers UI

A software as a service platform that provides the tools for sellers to list products, analyze buyer behaviors, mange orders and inventory, as well as communicate with buyers to handle inquiries and build trust.

TEST

I led the team to conduct prototype or concept testing, usability tests, A/B tests, and gathered feedback from early users. I collaborated with my team to decide on product metrics, assess the product’s performance, identify new pain points, and refine the user experience to ensure seamless navigation and engagement. The prototype was tested with a group of young entrepreneurs first to gather feedback and make necessary refinements. After the sellers we proceeded to test the marketplace with buyers to learn and get feedback.

Test questions for sellers

  1. Can you easily navigate and find the necessary features to list a product on Scaleit?
  2. How intuitive is the process of tracking analytics on shopping behavior? Is the information presented clear and actionable?
  3. Do you find the order and inventory management system efficient and user-friendly? Are there any specific pain points or areas for improvement?
  4. Is the chat and interaction feature with customers seamless and effective? Can you easily engage with potential buyers and address their queries or concerns?
  5. How would you rate the overall user experience of Scaleit’s prototype? Are there any specific areas where you encountered difficulties or felt that improvements could be made?
PS: I remembered to use the 5 whys framework where necessary.

Feedback

Users easily understood what the web app was for immediately they got on the prototype.

Sellers found certain steps or fields in the product listing process to be confusing or redundant. Simplifying the process by streamlining the required information and providing clear instructions would greatly improve the user experience and reduce friction for entrepreneurs when listing their products.

Buyers loved that they could chat with sellers before buying. It helps them build trust quickly.

Launch, Wins and Recommendations

After extensive testing and iterations, Scaleit was officially launched to the target audience of young entrepreneurs and tech-savvy online shoppers in Africa. We implemented a robust go-to-market strategy, leveraging social media channels, industry partnerships, and targeted advertising to maximize reach and awareness.

We finally decided to sunset the product after some failures and wins, and I also shared some future recommendations here.

Market

Go-to-market Strategy

Employ tailored marketing campaigns, leveraging social media platforms, influencer partnerships, and targeted advertisements to generate awareness and engage with young entrepreneurs in Africa.

Establish Scaleit as a thought leader in the social commerce space through the creation of informative and educational content such as blog posts, video tutorials, and webinars that provide value and insights to young entrepreneurs.

Forge strategic partnerships with relevant organizations, industry influencers, and local business communities. Collaborate on events, joint marketing initiatives, and co-branding opportunities to expand the reach and credibility of Scaleit.

Implement a referral program that incentivizes existing users to invite other entrepreneurs to join Scaleit. Offer rewards or exclusive benefits to both the referrer and the referred user, fostering organic growth and user acquisition.

Provide personalized and timely customer support to build trust and loyalty among users. Establish an online community or forum where entrepreneurs can connect, share experiences, and support each other, thereby enhancing the overall value of Scaleit.

Go-to-market Strategy

Employ tailored marketing campaigns, leveraging social media platforms, influencer partnerships, and targeted advertisements to generate awareness and engage with young entrepreneurs in Africa.

Establish Scaleit as a thought leader in the social commerce space through the creation of informative and educational content such as blog posts, video tutorials, and webinars that provide value and insights to young entrepreneurs.

Forge strategic partnerships with relevant organizations, industry influencers, and local business communities. Collaborate on events, joint marketing initiatives, and co-branding opportunities to expand the reach and credibility of Scaleit.

Implement a referral program that incentivizes existing users to invite other entrepreneurs to join Scaleit. Offer rewards or exclusive benefits to both the referrer and the referred user, fostering organic growth and user acquisition.

Provide personalized and timely customer support to build trust and loyalty among users. Establish an online community or forum where entrepreneurs can connect, share experiences, and support each other, thereby enhancing the overall value of Scaleit.

Market

UN SDSN Recognition

Scaleit, a product from Sagefour was selected as top 50 most innovative youth-led initiatives for the SDGs in the world by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN). As a result of the selection, Scaleit was also featured in the Youth Solutions Report for 2020.

Recommendations

  • Advanced analytics: Further refining the analytics dashboard to provide more detailed insights and recommendations for entrepreneurs.
  • Enhanced seller-buyer communication: Implementing additional features, such as video chats and personalized recommendations, to facilitate meaningful interactions and improve customer satisfaction.
  • Expansion into new markets: Scaling Scaleit to reach entrepreneurs beyond Africa, expanding its impact and fostering global collaboration.

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