LastObject Update: We Launched Our 4th Product
This is a follow up story for LastObject. If you're interested in reading how they got started, published almost 7 years ago, check it out here.
Hello again! Remind us who you are and what business you started.
I am Isabel Aagaard, co-founder of LastObject. We create reusable alternatives to replace single-use items because single-use puts a huge toll on our environment.
We launched ourselves into the sustainable market with our first product, LastSwab, a reusable cotton swab. We have had a revenue of 2.8 Mio USD (last 6 months) since the new year. We have now just launched our 4th product and have been in business for under 2 years. And as an added fun fact 2 out of 3 founders have had a baby this year (in the same week).
Tell us about what you’ve been up to! Has the business been growing?
Our product line has grown with tissues, facial rounds, and now also a Mask&Spray addition as this world state is not changing anytime soon.
We are riding on a huge wave right now which is sustainability, that we should not take for granted as a company and have a responsibility to live up to.
We have amped up our team with some very strong and high-level people to grow and optimize our business. We are still a small team of 6 now. We have gone on and now off of TikTok, which did not work for us. We are still perfecting and trying new things out in marketing. We want people to come back because we create amazing and useful products, so that's where our heads are at. We have been in some great in-depth articles and podcasts (which is so much fun). Partnerships are so much fun and great if your products/services match. We did an amazing collaboration with Nuud (a deodorant as they should be - free of crap). Finding brands that match our values but differ from us are very valuable for our customers and their customers. Being a sustainable brand often going together makes you stronger.
What have been your biggest lessons learned in the last year?
Getting good people and working with good companies are just so difficult. And don't get me started on logistics. We have made some mistakes and tried some different things out. There is no real framework but trial and error sometimes.
We are riding on a huge wave right now which is sustainability, that we should not take for granted as a company and have a responsibility to live up to.
Being focused and working smart has gotten us so far. And by that, I mean having an overview to know when to respond quickly and when to let it soak in. We have also become better at saying no, which I think is a lost art in our society today.
What’s in the plans for the upcoming year, and the next 5 years?
We have plans to expand our product line as well as expand to new stores and countries. The launch of new products is definitely the most exciting.
Our 5-year plan is putting a real dent into the single-use production by spreading our existing products as well as adding new ones. Right now we are all about testing ideas and molding awesome new products.
Have you read any good books in the last year?
An amazing book that I just recently reread is Minimal by Madeleine. It’s a book about how being minimal in your life, in general, will benefit you as well as the world. I liked it because it stretched the notion of minimalism quite far.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who might be struggling to grow their business?
Mistakes I have made and see others making is hiring yourself through problems, and it sucks but there is only one way of really cracking huge problems - taking them head-on and understanding them to the brim.
Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?
We are always looking for amazing people that can add something to our team.
Where can we go to learn more?
If you have any questions or comments, drop a comment below!
