Based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, ‘Loja Maria Chantal’ produces custom designed silk-screen printed t-shirts for young Afro-Brazilian men and women with an appetite for positive activism infused with inimitable style.
The aim of the brand is to combat racism, instill self-esteem, educate and raise awareness of authentic cultural Afro-Brazilian heritage. The T-shirt line boasts empowering quotes like: “My hair didn’t ask for your opinion” and“Kinky hair doesn’t need to have perfect curls.”
Founder and emerging creative powerhouse Maria Chantal has amassed a loyal and engaged social media community by providing motivational inspiration to her audience.
Challenges
Despite being a formidable force of productivity, like many other solo creative entrepreneurs, Maria Chantal faced the challenging task of keeping several plates spinning.
Solely responsible for all production, design, sales and marketing, she wanted perspective on:
- If the business model and marketing tactics in place were the right fit and guidance on how to improve them if necessary.
- How to evaluate the profitability of her existing business activities.
- How to build stronger and more meaningful connections with her audience through events or other channels.
Overcoming Challenges
We used a variety of approaches to overcome these challenges including:
- A financial reporting assessment to evaluate profitability which involved training on cash flow analysis, costing & pricing strategy and forecasting.
- Income generation evaluation. We spent time learning about the full range of Maria Chantal’s skills uncovering new ways to share value with different audiences.
- Devising and applying an efficient system for growing and retaining customers.
- Reviewing the most effective marketing channels available and creating a strategy to exploit their full potential.
Outcomes
Maria Chantal started to see the impact of the work we had done together immediately through:
- Enhanced financial reporting to help accurately forecast 2016 targets and ensure financial sustainability.
- Gathering tangible quantitative and qualitative market research data through focus groups and surveys to and test demand for new offerings.
- A range of new solutions, including events and workshops and creative consultancy services to diversify the brand portfolio offering and expand revenue streams.
- Practical and systematic methods for successfully implementing marketing tactics for the Loja Maria Chantal audience.
- The creation of a business development strategy including a proposal template for new partners and sponsorship opportunities.
The 5 weeks we spent working intensively with Maria Chantal provided expert and practical support, empowering her to fulfil and exceed the goals she has set for her social impact journey.
Want to see the beautiful t-shirts and headwraps Maria Chantal has on offer? Visit her website.
Ready to find out more about the 5-week intensive programme with one to one support from a dedicated business consultant? Find out more here.