From Chaos to Clarity: How a Kitchenware Brand Enhanced Marketing Planning with CURVEJUMPER
How a Kitchenware Brand Replaced Guesswork with Strategic Marketing Services
Key Learnings: What You’ll Learn in This Blog
The risks of operating without a structured marketing planning process, and how to identify early signs that instinct-based growth is no longer sustainable
The three-phase solution, CURVEJUMPER, used to build insight-driven growth and the role of strategy consulting in turning fragmented data into action
How a clear OGSM plan helped secure retail partnerships in just 12 weeks
Building a successful brand often begins with instinct, from spotting trends to trusting your gut, and moving fast. However, for growing consumer businesses, instinct can only move the needle so far. Without a structured approach to marketing planning, early momentum often gives way to unpredictability and stalled growth.
That was the case for Ava Mitchell, 39, co-founder of a fast-growing kitchenware startup based in Portland. Known for its artisan-crafted utensils and design-forward prep tools, Ava’s brand has built a loyal following by curating beautiful, limited-run products sourced from global vendors.
That was the case for Ava Mitchell, 39, co-founder of a fast-growing kitchenware startup based in Portland. Known for its artisan-crafted utensils and design-forward prep tools, Ava’s brand had built a loyal following by curating beautiful, limited-run products sourced from global vendors.
However, as the company scaled, Ava began to see the cracks in this model. Sales were unpredictable, product decisions were driven by merchant hunches, and marketing efforts lacked focus. Growth was happening but without direction or control.
How did Ava change the course of her business and leverage strategic marketing planning to attain stability and scalability for her brand? Keep reading to find out.
Was a Lack of Marketing Planning Putting Ava’s Brand at Risk?
Ava’s company specialized in kitchenware products that blended functionality with refined design—soft-touch utensils, artisan bowls, and countertop storage. Her team of merchants sourced items from international markets, often choosing products based on personal instinct or aesthetic fit.
For two years, this approach led to solid sales through their direct-to-consumer website and Amazon storefront. But every decision was based on what individual merchants liked, not on consumer data or market trends.
For two years, this approach led to solid sales through their direct-to-consumer website and Amazon storefront. But every decision was based on what individual merchants liked, not on consumer data or market trends.
Without structured marketing planning, strong items weren’t scaled, and results became inconsistent. Ava began to see that without a more predictive, market-driven approach, growth would remain fragile and unsustainable.
The Moment Instinct Wasn’t Enough: An Urgent Call for Marketing Planning
The turning point came with a product launch that should have been a win. Ava’s team had sourced a line of matte-finish kitchen tools through one of their most experienced merchants. Confident in the design and market fit, they moved quickly, building inventory, allocating ad spend, and prioritizing it across both their website and Amazon storefront.
But within days of launch, the numbers told a different story. Site traffic was solid, but conversions stalled. Product reviews were underwhelming, and inventory remained largely untouched.
It wasn’t just disappointing but also confusing. They had done everything the way they always had.
That’s when Ava saw the flaw she could no longer ignore. Every decision—what to source, what to promote, what to scale—was based on merchant instinct. If a merchant picked something on trend, it sold. If not, they were stuck. There was no consistency, no pattern recognition, and no strategic foresight behind their product pipeline.
That kind of unpredictability was risky for Ava’s brand. With retail partnerships on the horizon and more capital tied up in inventory, she knew she couldn’t afford another miss.
Ava realized that they didn’t need more ideas, but a structured approach. A way to connect consumer insights across launches, identify early signs of success, and make smarter, faster decisions. They needed real, structured marketing planning.
Ava realized that they didn’t need more ideas, but a structured approach. A way to connect consumer insights across launches, identify early signs of success, and make smarter, faster decisions. They needed real, structured marketing planning.
Finding Focus: How Strategy Consulting Brought Structure to Ava’s Marketing Planning Process
After the failed product launch, Ava knew she couldn’t afford another misstep. She began looking for a structured, insight-driven solution—one that could bring speed without sacrificing strategic depth. That’s when an industry connection recommended CURVEJUMPER.
Known for its customized and agile strategy consulting services, CURVEJUMPER specializes in helping lifestyle brands unlock growth through data-driven action, three times faster and at a fraction of the cost of traditional consulting firms. Determined to turn things around, Ava partnered with CURVEJUMPER.
CURVEJUMPER quickly zeroed in on Ava’s need for a stronger marketing planning process. Using their proprietary Growth Capability Model, they helped her team move through three tightly focused phases in under 12 weeks.
CURVEJUMPER quickly zeroed in on Ava’s need for a stronger marketing planning process. Using their proprietary Growth Capability Model, they helped her team move through three tightly focused phases in under 12 weeks.
First, they combined AI-powered summaries and hands-on analysis to extract actionable insights from Ava’s fragmented data. One powerful discovery stood out: products featuring unique finishes—like copper accents or artisan materials—consistently drove spikes in performance. These insights had been buried in reports but never acted on.
Next came opportunity creation. Through immersive workshops and consumer immersion exercises, CURVEJUMPER helped the team prioritize which winning features could be scaled across product categories, turning isolated successes into cohesive, cross-line momentum.
Finally, the team built an actionable plan. CURVEJUMPER guided them through the development of an OGSM—Objectives, Goals, Strategies, and Measures—transforming scattered ideas into a unified, measurable roadmap.
By the end of the engagement, Ava’s team didn’t just have a direction but a well-rounded go-to-market strategy that landed two premium regional partnerships, proving that with the right structure, creative brands can scale with certainty.
Why Strategy Consulting Was the Turning Point for Ava’s Brand
Ava’s success had been fueled by intuition, but without structure, that same instinct was starting to limit her growth.
With CURVEJUMPER’s customized strategy consulting, she replaced guesswork with a structured marketing planning process—one that identified growth drivers, aligned teams, and delivered clarity fast. Their deep experience in lifestyle brands, bias toward action, and extensive operating knowledge helped her cut through complexity and act on what mattered.
In just 12 weeks, her team gained a growth plan that was not only smarter but delivered 3x faster and at 70% lower cost than big consulting firms, without any unnecessary extras.
If your brand is outgrowing its early instincts and needs a strategy to scale—CURVEJUMPER can help you get there.
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Brian Myers
Founder and CEO of CURVEJUMPER
Brian Myers is the Founder and CEO of CURVEJUMPER Growth Foundry who has specialized in Growth Acceleration, Business Design, World Class Marketing, Brand Management, Innovation, Design, and Growth Strategy for over 25 years. Brian has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, serves on the Kellogg Advisory Council, and is a prior SMD / Practice Leader for Accenture, Partner with Prophet, and General Manager / Brand Manager with SC Johnson and Son.