Simplifiers podcast - Season 1 - Episode 5

Episode transcript:

Starting from Reality: Knowing Where You Are

[Amel]
Let’s get into it. Where growth really starts—that’s what I want to begin with. Juha, when a client asks you for growth, where do you start?

[Juha]
If it’s a new customer, the first thing is understanding where they are today. You need to understand their customers, current results, goals, and what has worked so far.

For that, data is critical. We need reliable data—customer behavior, feedback, even data from customer service like complaints. Growth can’t be designed from the top without understanding the current reality.

There Is No Silver Bullet

[Amel]
Why is it so critical to understand the current state before planning growth?

[Juha]
You need a solid starting point. There’s no silver bullet—no single thing you can just switch on. Growth comes from many small steps that build on each other.

Cutting Corners: A Common Growth Mistake

[Amel]
Antti, do you see companies jumping ahead without really knowing where they are?

[Antti]
Yes. Some companies try to cut corners and jump straight to solutions without proper data analysis. Often, the first real project phase is just about collecting and combining data. That’s not a step you want to skip.

From Technical Solutions to Business Thinking

[Juha]
Especially in Finland, many companies look for a technical solution that will fix everything. But that’s not how it works.

You need to think about the business concept, customer needs, and value creation. Those discussions are often underdeveloped—not just in Finland, but across the Nordics. In markets like the UK, there’s usually a stronger focus on marketing and customer thinking.

Geography, Resources, and Growth Readiness

[Amel]
So geography plays a role in how companies approach growth?

[Juha]
Absolutely. For example, Sweden has significantly more venture capital available than Finland. That gives smaller companies more room to launch and grow. Resources change how boldly companies can move.

Operational Energy vs. Growth Energy

[Amel]
Growth takes energy. How do companies balance daily operations with development?

[Juha]
If all your energy goes into running campaigns and keeping the business alive, there’s no room left for real development. Growth requires investment—time, people, and focus.

Developer-First to Business-First

[Antti]
In the last two years, there’s been a major shift. Digital platforms used to be developer-driven. Now businesses want more control.

This moves us from developer-first to business-first. Changes shouldn’t always require IT tickets. Business teams should be able to manage campaigns, content, rules, and automation themselves.

Modern headless and API-driven systems enable this—but culturally, some developers still resist giving that control to business users.

Content as the Real Growth Lever

[Amel]
Antti, you’ve said content is the real growth lever. Why is it so often overlooked?

[Antti]
I’ve seen cases where critical navigation or content is managed as massive JSON files—technically functional but completely unusable for business teams.

Content should be easy to manage, experiment with, and optimize—without developers. That’s how growth happens.

CMS Moves to the Frontline

[Juha]
CMS used to be secondary in eCommerce. Now it’s frontline. Customers want guidance, comparisons, stories, and context—not just products.

If editorial systems aren’t easy to use, you simply can’t create that experience.

Content and Commerce Are Merging

[Antti]
The line between content and commerce is blurring. After years of pushing monolithic CMS aside, editorial experience is becoming central again. Content is back at the core.

Geographical Differences in Content Maturity

[Amel]
Are some markets more mature when it comes to content?

[Juha]
Yes. Denmark, for example, is more mature than Finland—but it’s also more competitive. In apparel eCommerce alone, 13% of Danish stores went bankrupt.

Cultural factors matter too. Some markets are more comfortable with storytelling. The closer you get to the UK, the stronger the content focus becomes.

Healthcare eCommerce: A Real-World Case

[Amel]
Let’s move into a real case. Joining us now is Markus Sinisalo from Yliopiston Apteekki. Welcome.

[Markus]
Thank you. Very nice to be here.

Where Growth Comes From in Regulated Retail

[Amel]
Where does digital growth come from today in healthcare retail?

[Markus]
Convenience and trust. We compete not just with other pharmacies, but with the broader wellbeing market.

Fast delivery turned out to be critical. When you need medicine, you need it immediately. Today, we can deliver in under an hour—and that changed everything.

Beyond Discounts: Sustainable Growth

[Amel]
Any misconceptions about digital growth you’d like to correct?

[Markus]
Discount-driven growth is a dead end. It’s aggressive, easy to copy, and ultimately bad for both customers and companies.

Trust, Personalization, and Prescription eCommerce

[Markus]
Only about 30% of Finns know they can order prescription drugs online. That’s a massive opportunity.

If customers try it once and experience convenience and safety, they come back—and they explore other product categories too.

Automation with Humans in the Loop

[Markus]
We use real pharmacists in online chat—around 80 people. AI should support them, not replace them.

Automation should remove friction so humans can focus on what matters most.

Omnichannel Requires Data Orchestration

[Juha]
True omnichannel requires combining eCommerce and store data—often via a CDP. It’s complex due to GDPR and identity challenges, but essential.

Customers don’t think in channels. Experiences must feel coherent across touchpoints.

Personalization: Powerful, but Easy to Overdo

[Juha]
Basic personalization is easy. Advanced personalization is powerful—but it can go too far.

If recommendations narrow choices too much, customers get confused. Not everything should be personalized.

[Antti]
You can end up living inside a personalization bubble.

High-Impact Growth Moves That Still Work

[Amel]
What are the highest-impact growth moves teams can still make this year?

[Juha]
Design and conversion rate optimization. Improving journeys, visuals, content, and clarity can unlock massive gains.

[Antti]
Leverage automation and low-code tools. Use existing data to generate content across channels—social, email, and beyond.

Accessibility as a Growth Opportunity

[Juha]
Accessibility is often overlooked. Around 15% of the population benefits directly from accessible digital services. That’s real growth potential.

Final Thoughts: Simplifying Growth

[Amel]
Thank you all for a great discussion.

Growing digital business isn’t about platforms or pixels. It’s about content, data, alignment, and understanding how customers actually buy.

This was Simplifiers, brought to you by Solteq. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it, rate it, and subscribe.