The Beautiful Bunch Blossom with Strategic Business Support: RISE Program Case Study
The Beautiful Bunch is a social enterprise floristry business launched by Jane Marx in 2020. In fact, it is the result of a successful pivot, necessary when COVID shut down her social enterprise events and catering company.
Providing unique training and employment opportunities for young refugee and migrant women, The Beautiful Bunch is delivering impact along with every bunch of flowers. Every bouquet supports women to receive training to build their skills and confidence.
As a start-up navigating a pivot during Melbourne’s lock-downs, The Beautiful Bunch initially reached out to the RISE program for support with strategies to address funding and revenue shortfalls, and support to respond to emerging opportunities, including developing business capabilities for online sales.
Collaboration with The Beautiful Bunch
We initially matched The Beautiful Bunch with Hannah Sturrock, a strategic marketing and branding expert from our Professional Impact Network. Hannah was supported in her work by an incredible volunteer from the RISE program, Aranya Phookan, an accomplished marketing and communications professional. With Hannah taking the reins working with Jane to develop a Theory of Change, an impact measurement framework, business strategy and brand manifesto, Aranya was able to provide great support on implementation – bringing the strategic thinking to life.
Here’s what Jane said about the support:
“I was feeling overwhelmed prior to receiving support from the RISE program. The support I received has really helped me to define and articulate our long and short-term goals and vision for the future.
The support we have received has been phenomenal. I can't imagine anyone better for what we needed. Mia, Hannah and Aranya stepped in at a crossroads for our social enterprise and their support in helping me to articulate our vision, develop core content for applying for grants, talking to stakeholders, and creating a digital marketing strategy, was vital."
Impact in Action
The support helped The Beautiful Bunch increase sales five-fold, as a result of clearer marketing content, and extensive press coverage.
With steady growth in sales, a year later The Beautiful Bunch was able to employ a part-time Marketing Manager, and was ready for additional support with exploring opportunities for growing its B2B sales. Through RISE, we matched a multidisciplinary KPMG team of skilled volunteers to work with The Beautiful Bunch in delivering a high-level B2B approach strategy, and a comprehensive pack to support with B2B approaches.
The Beautiful Bunch's Marketing Manager, Chantelle Nguyen, commented:
“I was thrilled what the KPMG team came up with - it included an outreach kit, a Prioritisation/Engagement Matrix and a best practice guide - three really useful tools for us to seek future B2B clients. I look forward to utilising their recommended tools as we grow our B2B clientele and partnership opportunities.”
Benefits for Skilled Volunteers
Corporate volunteering provides great benefit to the for-purpose community, providing an opportunity for skilled professionals to engage their expertise to support businesses solving social and environmental challenges.
After her experience supporting The Beautiful Bunch, Rebecca Ambler, one of the KPMG volunteers, reflected:
"The RISE Program is such an incredible initiative that I highly recommend signing up for. It is a great opportunity to use your skills to make a difference and give back to the community. It is also a great way to connect with people you may not have had the chance to work with otherwise."
As an intermediary connecting skilled volunteers with for-purpose businesses, we relish the opportunity to not only provide capacity building services, but to broaden awareness of the imperative work for-purpose businesses drive within our communities, and the dedicated people behind them.
Yuki Takeda, another KPMG volunteer, said:
"Thank you Jane Marx for your passion and drive. We loved the opportunity to work with you and Chantelle Nguyen. Thank you Mia Sturrock at Social Impact Hub for connecting us with this wonderful social enterprise."
Thank you to the KPMG Australia team of Subee Bista, Keeran Sritharan, Yuki Takeda, Rebecca Ambler & Stephanie Platschorre for sharing your time and talents on this project, the Paul Ramsay Foundation & Westpac Foundation for their invaluable funding and support enabling RISE, and congratulations to The Beautiful Bunch team Jane Marx and Chantelle Nguyen - we wish you all the best as you continue to dismantle the barriers of employment for migrant women in Australia!
If anyone you know in the Greater Melbourne Region is looking for stunning flowers, please support the amazing team at The Beautiful Bunch!