How RealIPM Charted a Path to Sustainable Growth with Metavolve
Use Case
realIPM, known for high-quality biopesticides and dedicated to sustainable agricultural practices, faced the challenge of scaling up reliably and sustainably. The founders Jean and Paul Kuiper were committed to enhancing soil health and increasing yield through non-toxic solutions, but needed a strategy to expand sustainably in South Africa and beyond. Through a collaborative process, we helped realIPM hone their market positioning and turn their vision into a set of milestones to reach, setting the stage for a future where growth and sustainability go hand in hand.
The challenge
Creating Structure in Growth
realIPM had reached a critical juncture. With a rapidly growing demand for their biopesticides, they scaled up their team significantly. However, this swift expansion led to a bottleneck at the top, with most employees reporting directly to Paul or Jean. This structure was not sustainable; it stifled their ability to focus on strategic growth and left little room for empowering team leaders. realIPM needed to transition to a robust organisational structure that would distribute responsibilities, streamline decision-making, and allow the founders to envision the company’s future without being bogged down by day-to-day operations. But before a founder can focus on their organisational design, they need to be crystal clear on their strategy.
Paul Kuiper
Co-founder
What I wanted was understanding the critical next steps needed, not just for growth, but for sustainable business in every aspect. This includes having the right people in place to execute all necessary functions, not just for the next project. But before diving into this head first, we needed help from someone that could guide us.
Jean Kuiper
Co-founder
We needed a roadmap to see if, without us, the business would continue or collapse. We're used to think some actions were obvious for our team, but they were not and we'd get frustrated. So Metavolve forcing us to take the time to reflect on that, to mature, hire the right people, and clearly set and communicate those roles was crucial.
The Approach
realIPM's Journey to Sustainable Growth
To help Jean and Paul bring more sustainability to their growing business, Metavolve facilitated a Strategy Development process of 15 sessions. This intimate and structured approach was tailored for the founders to efficiently get clear and confident on the path forward for their business.
The Outcomes
Ready for Structured and Sustainable Growth
Jean Kuiper
Co-founder
Having someone from outside the business really helped us see the bigger picture and the discipline to step back, strategise, prioritise, and be realistic. Transitioning into closed strategies and refining our product lines are key moves towards turning the business into something truly sustainable and solid. I believe it has all the potential, with the right things in place, to succeed. Now it's about prioritising our goals against our capacity and hiring accordingly.
Paul Kuiper
Co-founder
I really enjoyed the journey of verbalising our thoughts, discussing what's happening in the business, where we need to direct our attention, prioritising, and making sense of it all. It's quite clear now that with a few small changes, we're onto something really cool. This passion project has the real capability of becoming much more. I think we've got the right things to drive this; we just need a bit of direction to ensure we're taking the most direct route to achieve our goals.
In Short
The Strategy Development Process provided realIPM’s founders with the clarity and structure they needed to navigate the path towards sustainable growth. Equipped with a clear roadmap that aligns with their core mission, Jean and Paul are now able to make informed decisions and prioritise actions effectively to make a significant impact on the agricultural sector, driving growth and sustainability hand in hand.
Are you ready to define your path to sustainable growth? Contact the Metavolve team today to discover how our strategy development process can empower you with the clarity and confidence to grow your business sustainably.
