Explore our case studies below
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FAI Farms: Hatching a Winning Plan with BirdBox
FAI Farms, a team of farmers, scientists, and consultants creates things to solve sustainable agriculture and animal welfare problems. One of FAI Farms’ creations is BirdBox, a sensor-based system designed to improve animal welfare and provide a management tool for free-range egg-producers to take eggs from, well, bird to box. Over a 10-year period, FAI Farms had trialed BirdBox with the UK’s leading free-range egg producer. The results were phenomenal. FAI Farms, however, was having trouble figuring out what’s next? Over a 12-week collaboration, using WhiteLabel’s growth diagnostic framework, we were able to rapidly assess, and align on, BirdBox’s commercial opportunities and path to market. Transitioning to implementation, WhiteLabel led a market sounding exercise to find potential partners and investors. Additionally, WhiteLabel brought in a co-conspirator to redesign the sensor technology. Since our collaboration, BirdBox has increased client trials exponentially. “The WhiteLabel teams’ breadth and depth of knowledge makes them a go-to partner for us,” said CEO Oisten Thorsen. “They often joke that they are our Special Projects Office, but the title fits well.”
Seed to Shelf: Building a Regenerative Food Brand
Yaupon Wellness Company, a social enterprise offering edible and personal care products derived from the Yaupon plant, had a well-established regional brand and was receiving great responses on several products. Yaupon, however, needed guidance on going nationwide. It turned to WhiteLabel. Over a year-long collaboration, WhiteLabel served as a comprehensive growth engine for Yaupon. Our work commenced with a thorough brand assessment, leading to a strategic refresh, solidifying Yaupon's identity in the wellness space. We investigated key products, distribution channel, and funding strategies, helping define Yaupon's target market, identifying the persona of its ideal customer, crafting a compelling value proposition, and a pricing and channel strategy. Yaupon is now growing from a local provider, into a firm with a regional presence, and the basis for a national brand. “WhiteLabel has been instrumental in defining our business strategy,” said CEO Lou Thomann. “The team has a unique ability to see the practical next steps to achieve growth, execute the plan, and solve the finance dilemma,”
Giving a Voice to Gen Z: Building the Next Generation of Mental Health Support
Gen Z struggles with finding meaningful connections and comprehensive mental health support. Promly, a social enterprise, envisioned a world where young people have access to holistic support and resources. To achieve this, a WhiteLabel partner, first as a consultant, then as a fractional COO, embedded in Promly. As a hybrid organization, with both a non-profit (501(c)3) and Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), it can fundraise across the spectrum of capital, blending traditional grants with commercial investment matching its for-profit and non-profit work. WhiteLabel worked on finding the right fit for funding, creating compelling narratives tailored to a wide variety of investors and donors, often the same people. Understanding that lasting change requires systematic support, using their depth of experience in advocacy, WhiteLabel got Promly in front of advocacy and public affairs opportunities. WhiteLabel continues to partner with Promly. “They got our value proposition and helped us raise our brand awareness through a differentiated path — advocacy and public affairs. Operationally, they were able to upscale Promly’s business and organizational models, positioning us for sustainable, efficient growth. I could not recommend them higher,” said CEO Jen Libby.
Scaling-up for Impact: Building Operational Strength in a Mission-Driven Enterprise
The Center for Rural Innovation was growing rapidly. Within four years, its leadership had taken the firm from an idea to a multi-million-dollar enterprise with a non-profit, for-profit, and seed fund, all aimed at advancing economic prosperity in rural America. The firm’s growth was exceptional, but operations had not kept pace. After a Director of Finance resigned, WhiteLabel was brought in to diagnose issues and implement remediations. Initially, WhiteLabel helped stabilize the finance department, operating as interim CFO and controller. The initial tasks: harmonizing revenue lines, legal structure and guiding the company through its first audit. WhiteLabel also successfully led the recruitment of a new Director of Finance. WhiteLabel continued to support CORI through its transition, including leading the selection and implementation of enterprise-wide systems. “Being able to harness WhiteLabel's insight and experience has proven invaluable to me,” said Robin Kilfeather-Mackey, CORI’s Director of Finance and Operations. “The WhiteLabel diagnostic report I was handed upon my arrival allowed me to immediately zero in on the organization's pain points and direct my attention squarely where it was needed most in those early days.”
Giving Voice Through Innovation: Creating a New initiative for a Media Non-Profit
A wise innovator once told us, “Finding product market fit solves 100 percent of 50 percent of the problem–you have to build something that fits the organization’s strengths.” We found this sagacious advice while working with the Munathara Initiative, an award-winning non-profit championing free speech in the Arab world. Recognizing that donor priorities change, and sometimes radically so, The Munathara Initiative wanted to diversify its funding streams to include impact and commercial sponsors. The firm’s executive director, however, needed help learning about, and developing a product to transition into the world of for-profit social enterprise. Through interviews, on-the-ground research, business modeling and financial forecasting, WhiteLabel was able to identify a niche that fit the market’s needs and the organization’s unique capabilities and resources: The Munathara Creative Labs, a studio dedicated to fostering creative businesses, fueling democracy, and empowering civil society across the MENA region.
From NASA to the Market: Technology Transfer for Social Impact
BNNT, an advanced materials company with revolutionary potential, was struggling with the question of how do you raise capital for a company that has a world-changing product, tremendous promise, great research, and development partnerships, but was still in the product testing phase, and required much more patient capital than a traditional VC provides? Over two years, a WhiteLabel partner worked closely with BNNT's CEO on refining BNNT’s commercialization strategy and creating a disciplined fundraising plan. We started by defining our initial list of targets, focusing on firms and investors that would understand the sector, the company’s potential, and the time it needed to succeed. WhiteLabel and BNNT refined the story, building marketing materials and financial models, which also served a control function for the firm, beyond the capital raise. We tested assumptions through practice pitches with friendlies WhiteLabel brought in from our network. We launched a systematic outreach campaign. We worked on setting terms for firms that expressed an early interest. BNNT emerged with a clearer corporate strategy, a well-defined capital raising plan, and a more confident CEO.
Game Changer: Transformation, Growth, and Capital Raising for Social Purpose
One Earth Rising wants to change the way gaming works: It wants to turn the Metaverse into the Purposeverse. Given that gaming is the most popular activity on the planet, gaming and gamers should have a greater vision of how gaming engages with the planet. Looking to achieve that greater vision, One Earth Rising turned to WhiteLabel. Recognizing the potential, WhiteLabel proposed a pivot from developing games to becoming a platform for socially conscious game developers. Working with One Earth Rising, WhiteLabel helped the firm sharpen its long-term strategy, develop a streamlined operational structure, and create, and lead, a fundraising campaign, targeting socially responsible investors. To facilitate the structural changes, a WhiteLabel founding partner embedded in One Earth Rising, as COO. He liked the gig so much, he stayed.
From Lockdown to Lift-Off: Bouncing Back from the Pandemic
The pandemic was not kind to Sched, an event scheduling software company. With social distancing, came an end to social events. Sched, which had been growing steadily, saw its revenues collapse. Seeking help with financial management and cost-cutting, Sched partnered with WhiteLabel to develop a turnaround strategy. “WhiteLabel helped us evaluate and make a variety of strategic decisions during our time together. They provided useful insights, systems, and resources during a period when we needed it the most,” said Marvin McTaw, the company’s CEO. “The most important part of this really comes from their ability to ask great questions that bring underlying assumptions and meaningful considerations to light. Their questions and collaborative thinking ultimately helped us make better decisions to chart our company's path forward.” Part of that path forward was identifying the need to take sole operational burden off the CEO’s shoulders, identifying that the firm needed a strong operational second to the CEO’s visionary leadership style. Creating and leading the search, WhiteLabel was able to help Sched source, and, ultimately, hire some exceptionally qualified talent. Today, Sched is thriving and continues to partner with WhiteLabel.
Pivot to success: A Business and Product Strategy for a Digital Media Company
ImpactAlpha's commitment to covering the world of impact investing wasn't matched by a sustainable business model. It faced the challenge of achieving financial stability while staying true to its mission. A WhiteLabel partner joined forces with the ImpactAlpha team to spearhead a strategic pivot. This involved deep collaboration to clarify the company's vision and ensure all stakeholders shared a common purpose. Together, they developed a revised business model and product strategy designed to attract a paying audience. Additionally, the WhiteLabel partner played a key role in securing philanthropic seed funding, providing much-needed support during this transition period. This strategic shift, combined with the crucial funding, proved transformative for ImpactAlpha. They successfully became a commercially viable platform, securing its first revenue streams. ImpactAlpha recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and is the “platform of record,” a source for news, educational materials, convenings, and data essential for the impact economy.
Power up! Transformation and Funding for Clean Energy Start-up
A social enterprise with a charismatic leader was on a massive mission: she wanted to electrify Africa through pay-as-you-go solar. Finding early traction, investors and getting on the ground quickly, the firm was able to set up operations in Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria. The firm’s great work even garnered a profile in the New Yorker. While growth in product and execution was exceptional, financial operations did not keep pace. The organization partnered with WhiteLabel to address these issues, beginning by cleaning up five years' worth of financials, restructuring operations, and suggesting, and implementing a system of controls to promote better financial management, and a foundation for better decision-making. In tandem, the board was looking to structure a non-dilutive funding facility. Drawing on its significant experience, WhiteLabel quickly cracked the code, and worked with the firm’s CEO to gain approval from the Board. WhiteLabel then developed marketing materials, targeted investors, and structured the outreach campaign, meeting with investors across the spectrum of capital, from impact to commercial.